Bound for Tomorrow 2 The Shard of the Meidou
by Ravyn Skye
Summary: Please see 'Bound For Tomorrow' with 20 chapters, as it is a repost of this story with the one-shot first chapter and this story all posted as ONE complete story.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, or the characters known as Sesshomaru and Rin.

A/N: This is a follow up to "Bound for Tomorrow: Sesshomaru and Rin"

_He wants to give her the world… he wants to give her hanyou pups and he wants to hold her in his embrace and he wants to… __tell her he loves her.__ He can't do these things just yet, but he __wants __to__, and that itself is progress. Instead he tells her,_

"_No Rin, you are not alone, I am not alone… we shall have each other from this day forward, for as long as the fates allow."_

_He sees the look in her eyes, he sees her dare to __hope__ that she has not misunderstood what he has said, and the intentions behind it. And she hasn't._

He wants to reassure her with a kiss, but, she is human, and their custom is to 'marry' before such a thing can occur.

Instead, he takes the flower from behind his ear and brings it down to roll the soft petals of the bloom across the soft petals of her lips. The flower will caress her as his mouth must wait to do, but he will not wait long, he is still, _Sesshomaru_, and patients has never been his forte.

He brings the flower from her lips to his own, placing the petals just under his nose, and he allows the quirk of his lips to let a ghost of a smile haunt his countenance for a moment, before tucking the flower under his kosode, right against his skin, over his heart.

He has taken the opportunity to exchange the flower for a small bit of folded silk. He unwraps it slowly, and Rin's eyes widen in astonishment, as she feels a sense of familiar energy eminnate from the tiny diamond shaped shard.

He is still on his knees before her, even so positioned, the girl is only a head and a half or so taller than he is. He realizes this position is putting him at eye level with warm, soft, only slightly large-for-her-frame perfectly round and symmetrical breasts, and suddenly his hands tingle, wishing to touch them, and his mouth is almost watering, anticipating the taste of her skin. He could swear that he can _almost _smell the scent of the milk she will produce, and use to nourish pups… his pups…_their pups… _ He refuses to cheapen either her or this moment by ogling her lecherously, but still, it takes every inch of his iron clad self-control to focus his gaze on her face, and he holds the shard in the center of his palm, presenting it to her, feeling suddenly vulnerable, for _this_, more than any wedding, will seal them to each other. He has already bargained with himself that, even if she doesn't accept this gift, he will still claim her, _but_…

"Do you recognize what stone this is a shard from?"

Rin looks awed, and a million questions flit through her mind, but not single one is able to make it to her lips, which are suddenly very dry. Visions of a deep, dark, cold and endless place, a place devoid of hope, a place devoid of air, a place devoid of _life_, crisscross in her thoughts, forming a net that catches any words that might tumble out, and give away how nervous just being in the presence of such power makes her.

She can't answer, because, if she is wrong, she will sound so foolish that she is sure Sesshomaru-sama will scoff at her and retract his offer of a life spent together, because she knows he will not suffer a fool for a mate. Instead, she plays it safe, and asks a question she is almost certain she knows the answer to… but what she won't ask, what she _can't_ ask, is _why?_ What purpose could it possibly serve? Does this somehow mean...

The possibility sparks to life in her mind and her eyes grow impossibly large, and now he can actually see the wave of realization wash over her, and again, he realizes, she is _beautiful_.

"Sesshomaru-sama? Is that? Oh! Kami-sama! Is that?? It's a shard of the meidou tama?"

There is a look on her face, the fact that the previous fear has been replaced with an over-eager smile and she now looks at the stone less with reverence, but more with a sort of hunger, an anticipation she can hardly contain as he nods slowly, deliberately drawing this moment out, committing it to memory, so that one day, he might tell the story to his grandchildren…

Grandchildren??

The thought catches him completely by surprise, as he is only now getting used to the idea that he might soon become a father, and now…

'_This Sesshomaru, a grandfather?'_

It is these types of thoughts, the ones that come without his bidding, the thoughts that shock, but do not scare, him, that reassure him that he is _not_ making a mistake, for _she_ has put these thoughts, so alien and yet, so comforting in his mind.

"Do you still wish to be with this Sesshomaru _forever_?"

The full meaning, not just some vague inkling, but the _true_ meaning of his words hits her suddenly, and there is suddenly no thought, no words, no existential or ethereal concept, _nothing… __**nothing**_ - that can describe what she is feeling.

In an impulsive and excessive move, two traits he has come to associate with her as freely as people associate him with restraint and stoicism, she bounces on the balls of her feet a few times and then _throws_ herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck so tightly that, if he were mortal, he is sure he would choke.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!"

Rin disentangles herself from him, and stares at him with an unguarded expression of love, holding nothing back. She hasn't been this free with him in quite some time, so concerned was she with hiding her 'secret' longings for him. There is something in his gaze, a weight to it, that is certainly not regret, more a kind of quiet acceptance, but is still it is... unsettling to her. As quickly as it came, the mirth is gone, and she is regarding him seriously.

"Sesshomaru-sama? You know... you know that... you know Rin loves you, right? You know Rin would do anything for you..."

The stoic heavy expression seems to be replaced with a light dancing in the back of his eyes that may just be... amusement. She feels suddenly very foolish, for _what_ could _she_ possibly do for _him_ that would ever come close to rivaling this thing that he is done for her? He is Taiyoukai, and she, even if she is no longer mortal, is still painfully _human_.

She may have always suspected he was infinitely powerful, and even, in her childish ways, regarded him as some sort of kami. She knows that the fact that he can do this thing, that he can grant her what by all rights should be, for her, an impossible wish, should confirm these feelings, but somehow, contradictory to current evidence, it seems to make him so much more _real_ to her.

Only then does she think about what he may have had to _do_ to get this shard?

His mother surely wouldn't have handed it over so easily, and, even if she did... that he would have lowered himself to _ask_, when his mother surely would have known _who_ and _what_ it was for... surely, no matter _what_ the circumstances, he sacrified a _lot_ for her... either his pride, or his relationship with his last remaining parent was put up for paid, for nothing more than a single mortal girl... for _her_…

Rin is so humbled, so grateful, and _so_ _painfully _**_aware_,** that she is simply _not **worthy**_ of this beautiful creature, who stands before her, offering her things no mortal was meant to have.

In that moment, she hesitates, and thinks, _for his own good_, she _should _reject him, send him away, and pray he someday meets a demoness _worthy_ of his affections, of his sacrifices, of his... **_love. _**

It is a good thing, for both of them, that the selfishness inherent in all those of her species will simply **not** allow her to give him up, despite the fact that she can never hope to come close to repaying all that he has done for her, and she can never hope to compare to what and who he must and might be giving up… despite that, Rin knows she cannot let him go, not now that he is _here_ and he is _willing_ to be with her…to _love_ her... **_forever_**.

Only now is Rin beginning to realize the lengths he is willing to go for her, and this shard, more than any cheap words ever could, tells her that **he** **_loves_** **her**. All the consequences of that reality have yet to present themselves to her young and still somewhat naive mind, but she is not so foolish as to believe their relationship will be nothing but the stuff of romance novels, although, she has hope that at least _part _of their relationship will be that way.

"Sesshomaru-sama… how… how did you get this?"

To be continued...


	2. Acquiring the Meidou

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Characters, and make no money from writing this.

Flashback

He stands, facing his mother, who has turned to give him her back. A sign of disrespect, as it shows she is confident enough, or, in his opinion, foolish enough, to take her eyes from him, as though she does not consider him a threat.

He has demanded the one thing that can grant him the power to grant the wish of an eight year old ningen girl, who is no longer eight years old, no longer a girl, and now her wish has become his own.

_Forever._

She wanted to be with him forever, and now, he wants nothing more than to have her there, at his side, _forever._

'Does she mean so much to you?" His mother asks a question that she already knows the answer to, she only means to make him _say_ it… instead, he growls, and his hand drifts to the hilt of Bakusaiga. She does mean that much to him, and he _will_ kill his mother if he must. The idea of matricide has occurred to him before, but, only now is it an impending reality.

She turns then, as if sensing he is serious, and she gives him a smile… baring her fangs.

"Sesshomaru, I've said it before, but it bears repeating… you have become like your father in the strangest ways…"

He knows its true, he will not deny it, but still, he will not give her the satisfaction of saying it aloud either. He draws his sword.

Her eyes soften on him, in… pity? Perhaps it is even more than that, but he cares not to analyze it, for it doesn't concern him in this moment. His mother speaks again,

"There is no need for all this fuss over one mortal girl… Sesshomaru, I have always wanted your happiness… and if this is what you want, then… I will not give you the meidou," He cuts her off with a growl, and prepares to use his sword, allowing his jykai to flare, but before he can call the aura of the sword, she continues, as if he has _not_ just threatened her life, "Just listen to me, koinu puppy, I will _not_ give you the meidou… but, I will give you what you need, to keep the girl alive and un-aging, but… you must promise me something, in return."

He allows his aura to settle, but does not yet replace his sword in the sheath, he isn't quite sure if he trusts her…

"What would you have me promise you?" He doesn't care, he is merely curious… or so he tells himself.

"You will not betray her, forsake her, dishonor or… hurt her… the way your father did me. You will cherish her _always_, for that is what I'm giving you with her. I'm granting you _always, _and it is not to be taken lightly."

Never before has his mother admitted to him that his father's dalliances _hurt_ her. The concept of his mother having _feelings_ is as foreign a concept to him as his brother having intelligence. He feels, at that moment, almost… sorry, for her.

He only nods his assent. He does not feel the need to explain further, and he knows she will not expect him to.

He hears then, a terrible sound. A high pitched squeal that has him aching to cover his sensitive ears, and his eyes flick to the source of the painful noise. His mother has removed the stone from beneath the neckline of her kimonos, and is using a single claw to carve a shard from it's center. She has a look of concentration on her face, and when she is finished, she slowly approaches with a wry smile.

She makes to hand it to him, but when he reaches for it, she pulls her hand back, and her face becomes hard, her countenance serious, but in the back of her eyes, he can see the playful glint of mischief. He growls again. What game is she playing?

"One more thing, my son…" Her tone is teasing, and he _hates_ it. Briefly, he considers killing her anyway, but dismisses the thought as soon as she speaks again,

"I know that you, yourself, have never been… intimate… with a female," His eyes narrow and he makes to speak, but is silenced when the hand that is _not_ holding the precious shard comes up, bidding him keep silent just a moment longer, "but this old woman expects _many_ grandchildren… hanyou though they may be… with you as sire the sons will be powerful and with her as mother, the daughters will be beautiful… when she is first with child, you will send for me, that I might watch over her pregnancy."

To say that he is shocked is an understatement, and when his mother reaches for him, he doesn't pull away. She hasn't held him since he was a pup, and even then she didn't do so often, preferring instead to leave him to the care of various nannies and tutors.

She holds her son in a tight embrace, and puts enough pressure on the back of his head to bring his head down to her level. She nuzzles him and uses the tip of her nose to caress his cheek, before licking the tip of his own nose in a gesture of motherly affection. He surprises her then by burying his nose in his mother's neck and scenting her. She is even more shocked when she feels a single tear hit the skin of her neck, and she smells salt in the air that is not from the ocean outside her window.

When he releases her again however, there is no evidence of his uncharacteristic show of emotion, and she almost believes she imagined it, but for the lingering salty flavor of the air.

He takes the shard from her, and turns on his heel, making to leave, leaving her to watch his retreat, silent prayers for both him and his human girl running through her mind. Suddenly, just as she is about to turn to leave, he pauses in mid-stride, with his back still to her, she hears him call to her,

"Hahaue," He pauses again, before adding in a low voice, "Domo Arigato."

Though she knows he cannot see it, she nods, and before she makes her way back into the shiro she adds, just as quietly,

"Become happy, Sesshomaru… my son."

He stops by the seamstress on his way out, delivering his orders, and returns days later to find it has been completed, but also there is something else. His mother has left orders as well…

There is a large trunk, filled to the brim with fine silk Kimonos, jewels, spices, incense and, most importantly, a note, with a headband laying a top of it. The head band is fine silver, and will rest so that a blue jade crescent moon stone will find itself resting in the middle of Rin's forehead.

The letter is addressed to Rin,

"To my newest Daughter,

Welcome to the house of the West.

It is now your duty to bear us many strong sons, and beautiful daughters.

Your Hahaue…

Lady Tsukimaru

For the second time in only a moon, he is fighting down his emotions, which threaten tears.

That night, with Ah-un packed, carrying the gifts for Rin from both him and his mother, he contemplates, once again, the twists and turns the fates have wrought into his life.

Before this month, he hasn't cried in nearly 400 years, yet he doesn't feel weak, but stronger than he ever has before. His decision to deliberately, finally, and completely damn the consequences of loving Rin, standing up to his mother, and finding… not more of her displeasure and disappointment, but… acceptance has left him… pleasantly upheaved, this change in himself is… freeing, and he feels like he's at the beginning of some great epic journey. There are healthy amounts of both trepidation and anticipation.

He is at once both reluctant and eager to leave the past behind and embrace this new part of himself… the one that… _feels_ things, for a being other than himself… okay, if he is honest, he still feels nothing for almost any and everything else. It is only… _her._ Only _Rin_, that has the power to invoke these things in him. He admits with a wry sort of humor that _she_ is the only one with so much power. A small mortal woman, and _she_ has _power_ over _him. _It is a startling revelation, and yet… he decides that it is _comforting_ to have a check and balance to his unquestionable strength. He wonders if it _has_ to be this way. For one as powerful as he, the fates _must_see that there needs to be an outside influence, someone or something to keep him from reeking havoc on the world. He needs her to temper him, lest he lose himself in the ultimate power he wields. She will keep him grounded and sane.

'_The fates have a sense of humor'_ he admits dryly.

No he hasn't cried, not since the death of his grandmother, at the hands of a mortal priestess named Midoriko… the same one who created the shikon no tama, and later caused him so much grief with the bastard hanyou, Naraku… but… if not for her, he would not have met Rin, and if not for the mortals who caused his father's death, he would not be the bearer of Tenseiga and if not for…

He stops his train of thought. He will not question, will not analyze, the strings of fate that have brought him to this point in his life… he has done so on _many_ occasions, while stargazing, lonely and angry at the world.

He is weary, tired of being angry, no… now he will do his best to simply be… grateful.

He rises from the tree stump he was resting on…

Its time to go, Rin is alone, and he will not allow it to be so for long.


	3. Explanations

**Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha and I make no money from writing this**

**Originally Written For: N/A  
**

**Word Count:652**

**Title: Bound For Tomorrow: Explanations **

**Author:Plumespixie**

**Rating:k**

**Charecters:Sess/Rin/Sess mom/Mentions Inu, Inupapa and Kagura**

**Genre:Romance/Introspection**

**Cannon/AU:Post Canon**

**Summary:Why did Sessmom hand over the meidou shard so easily?**

**A/N: Just a quick little update and backround info, with the next chapter up probably tomorrow, where we get back to the main action, and the present time. Lemon coming up not next chapter, but the chapter after that...  
**

The unexpected reaction his mother had given him to his request continued to bother the taiyoukai.

His musings eventually led him to what he considered to be a reasonable explanation.

This would be added to the list, no doubt. The running list of reasons she has in her head why he is both a disappointment and a failure, and, most grating to him of all, an object of pity.

Yes the softened demeanor came not from love, but from pity… he is sure of it. The look in her eyes spoke volumes, and at the time, it was not his concern, but now that he has had time to think on it… he knows.

He knows that she knew that handing him what was needed for the girl, was also necessary for her own well-being, the well being of her son, and the well-being of the Western Lands, and she is, above all, a ruler.

She knows… as does he, that Rin is the only woman, human, demon or otherwise, who would have him. Beggars cannot be choosers, and Sesshomaru, for all his beauty, power and status, is so _lacking_ in…anything else… that the only affections he garners are from youkai trash like the wind witch, (a weak off-shoot of an even _lower_ creature, a _created_ hanyou), and the wraith of a confused mortal woman who not only plays a flute, but also obviously borders on the mentally deranged.

She knows that Rin is, at least, a decent soul, who, _Kami-sama knew why_, but who, DOES love her son.

After witnessing her only child fail, _yet again_, on _two_ accounts, (the first being the protection of the mortal girl-child, and the second being his inability to pull himself together after his initial failure), she knew that it would once again fall to her to clean up the nesses of her teenaged, (by demon standards), son, and return the only thing he'd seemed to deem worthy of his affections – the girl – to life.

She could not allow him to fail in the protection of that _girl_ again… if that were to happen, and he were to become distracted while defending the castle, the lands, or _himself_, well… it could allow the opportunity for history to repeat itself, and she would _not_ let that happen.

She would not lose the last male (save the wretched hanyou), in her ruling line, because he chose to sacrifice himself for a single mortal woman, or went insane, because she eventually died of old age.

She was a ruler, and practical to a fault.

Her son would not give up the girl, and so, it was up to her to make sure that the girl remain safe, and _alive_, so that her son would remain so as well.

When humans refer to youkai as 'unfeeling', they are completely inaccurate in the statement.

While it may appear to outsiders that they feel nothing, the truth is that youkai feel everything, _very_ deeply.

When a creature's emotions are as strong as a youkai's, and the being is as powerful as a youkai, such a creature must simply be extremely selective in the things they choose to have feelings over.

When a youkai feels hate, he feels it completely, down to his very bones, when a youkai feels anger, nothing can stop the tidal wave of destruction until the source of such anger is obliterated. When a youkai holds a grudge, he will _never_ let it go… and… when a youkai _loves_… he does it with everything he is… and he does it _forever_.

To have such strong emotions, one must be careful who they allow to have influence over those emotions…

Rarely do youkai allow themselves the indulgence of true emotions.

And almost never do they love.

Not because they _can't _love, but because of the extent to which they _can._

It was clear to her now…

Sesshomaru _loved_ Rin.


	4. Reaching out

**Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha and I make no money from writing this**

**Originally Written For: N/A  
**

**Word Count:1,177**

**Title: Reaching out**

**Author:Plumespixie**

**Rating:K**

**Pairing:Sess/Rin**

**Genre:Romance**

**Cannon/AU: Post Canon**

**Summary: Sesshomaru reaches for Rin**

**A/N: Things speed up from here on out… I promise…**

"It was a gift, from your Hahaue."

His reply is so simple, and for any other couple it would be nothing to get excited over, but for Rin, this level of acceptance is completely unexpected and she isn't sure she will be able to contain her tears much longer…

He'd told his _mother_… and she… accepted it?!

"Your mother gave me _that _ as a gift?" the girl's disbelief is obvious.

"No." his reply caught her off guard… she makes to question him but before it can leave her lips, he continues, bringing himself from his knees to standing once more.

"She gave _me_ the shard as a gift… the gift of you." He reaches out and placed his hand on her shoulder, and gives it a small squeeze, before sliding the backs of his claws up to the back of her neck, squeezing there as well, and using his leverage on her to pull her close and tuck her into his chest, then bringing his own head forward, and letting his nose graze her hair, taking in her scent and feeling his chest clench, before forcing himself to continue,

"The gifts she commissioned for you are packed in the crates you see attached to ah-un's sides, there are many, and you will have a chance to survey them when we reach my brother's hut."

With nothing to say that is adequate for the situation, she simply bows her head, tucking herself closer to his body, and allows her sleeve to come up and hide her giddy smile. This is… real. He told his mother, and, that somehow makes it… official… in her simple village girl's mind.

She looks up when she sees his black boot clad feet move slightly away from her, and feels him release her from his half-embrace. Then, in a gesture ripe with meaning, he extends a hand towards her, intent on making his way towards the village, and his brother's hut, where Rin has been staying for nearly a moon now, since being evicted by the local human lord's samurais, only two days after Kaede passed away.

Luckily, it was expected, and all of her precious silk kimonos, her bone combs, her silver mirror, and the other expensive trinkets he has brought to her over the years had already been packed away in the large wooded box, with the ornate designs on it, that Sesshomaru had gifted her with when he realized she was running out of places to store his other gifts, and had already been moved, so they could not demand any of her things as payment for the last year's tributelessness… truly, she will admit, but he would deny, he has spoiled her over the years.

She still has _it_. The first material thing he ever gave her… the checkered silk kimono she wore when she traveled with him. She had never felt silk before, and, at the time, she was still mute… but he must have figured it out when she brushed her hand against his sleeve that first day and stopped to stare in wonder. She didn't know to be afraid of him, or not to touch him, so she had reached out again, and run fingers over the material slowly, with a look of awe on her face.

The next morning she had woken to find the new child's size silk kimono laying in front of her, and her new guardian staring off into space, perfectly content to pretend it had shown up there by magic.

She spoke her first word in 2 years then… her voice, raspy with disuse had managed to choke out an 'arigato' before coughing from the unfamiliar strain in her throat.

He had said nothing at first, then he had informed her that she stank of blood, wolves and death, and her 'human stench' was disgusting him.

He'd taken her to the nearby river, and commanded her to bathe. He watched over her while she did so, and when she was dressed, he'd handed her something from his sleeve. It was a bundle of stuffed rice balls.

"I won't make a habit of this; you'll have to find your own food."

But…

Whenever she'd been unable to find food, he'd do the same thing, and repeat his command, even if he'd given her food several days in a row, he'd still claim that he'd not make it a 'habit', and she'd 'have to get her own food.'

She'd smiled at him, the whole day through, and it felt like, since that day, she'd never stopped smiling at him.

She took his hand and gave him a questioning look.

"We have a monk to find."

If memory served him, the monk had been the one to perform the human ceremony for his brother and his miko. He was also fairly certain that _this_ particular monk would be one of the _only_ monks to be willing to 'marry' a taiyoukai and a young ningen woman.

He was… nervous. Not about the ceremony itself, not about entering into a _life_ with Rin, no… _that_ was something he was looking forward to with no hesitation or reservations. It was the acts he would be expected to engage in the night directly _following_ the wedding that had him so… uncomfortable. He had never been… intimate… with anyone before. He was…concerned…

He wanted, for the first time in his life, to _please_ another being. He was unsure of how to go about it. He was unconcerned for his own pleasure. He rarely thought of such things, and even more rarely pleasured himself. He considered himself to be… above… such basal needs, but… with _Rin…_

He wouldn't lie to himself and he had to admit that the girl had a certain ability to… excite… him, with even the most innocent of gestures.

He was…not _impatient…_exactly… he was more… eager, yes, he concluded silently, _eager_ was a good word for it.

He would also use the opportunity to place the meidou shard into Rin, implanting it in her body the same way that the shikon shard was placed in _the boy_.

However, he did not want it in her neck, but, in her chest, in the valley between her breasts, where, whenever he was fortunate enough to indulge himself in that particular part of her anatomy, he would see it there, reminding him of her now, permanence in his life.

Ah-un's reins in one hand, Rin's in the other, he realized two things; one, that he did not have a hand free to grab a sword, and two, he felt… complete, in some unnamable way. He had, for so long, had nothing but the swords at his hip to reach for, and now… now he had Rin's hand to reach for as well. He was reaching out, literally, and figuratively to the world beyond himself, beyond his own small circle of existence, beyond power and battle and fighting and death, blood and tears and the smell of fear.

For the first time in his life, there was something he wanted to hold, beyond the hilt of a sword.

_Rin_.


	5. Forever Mine

Disclaimer: I do not own either Inuyasha or the characters, Sesshomaru and Rin.

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Title: Bound for Tomorrow 2: Chapter 5 – "Forever Mine"  
Prompt:N/A  
Word Count:2,626  
Rated:T  
Summary: Reassurance is needed on both of their parts, and he is more than willing to give it to her.  
Genre:Romance  
Warnings: None.  
A/N:I went for a different style with this one, more purple prosy-ish

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_Ah-un's reins in one hand, Rin's in the other, he realized two things; one, that he did not have a hand free to grab a sword, and two, he felt… complete, in some unnamable way. He had, for so long, had nothing but the swords at his hip to reach for, and now… now he had Rin's hand to reach for as well. He was reaching out, literally, and figuratively to the world beyond himself, beyond his own small circle of existence, beyond power and battle and fighting and death, blood and tears and the smell of fear._

_For the first time in his life, there was something he wanted to hold, beyond the hilt of a sword._

_Rin._

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_

Rin takes his outstretched hand, and gives him a questioning look, not in response to the offer of a hand, as that has become common place to her over the years, but in response to his statement in regards to 'finding a monk',

"Sesshomaru-sama… do you mean… are you… I mean, you're really going to… DOYOUREALLYWANTTO**MARRY**ME?" She blurts out gracelessly, so excited by the news.

He turns to her, letting go of Ah-un's reins and gives her his own questioning look. Was that not what he'd communicated by giving her the shard?

For a brief moment, fear overtakes him. Has he misunderstood something? He can't possibly fathom how he could have, given what has just happened between them, but the doubt that comes upon him suddenly tears his heart unsunder and threatens to undue him.

"You… do not wish it? You may… reject this Sesshomaru, if you wish. This Sesshomaru would still allow you to travel with him."

He has slipped back into his imperial speech pattern, aloof, and reassuring. Like a security blanket, the familiar distance is his futile attempt to hide his hurt and fear from the only person who would be able to see those two things in him. Its obvious that she has though, by the look on her face when she meets his eyes. Even though she _is able_ to see those things in him, it does not mean that she is not shocked by them, so rare has the occurrence been that he has felt _those_ particular emotions. He makes the realization then that the only times he has ever felt _sadness_ and _fear_ has been in situations that concern the girl. The common thread among each instance where his stomach has churned, his chest has tightened and his breathing has been halted is…_her._ She is the only thing he cares about enough, that if he lost _her_, the _he_, himself, would also be lost. He gives in to the revelation more easily than he imagined he would…

_Her power over him is absolute._

The shock on the girl's face would be comical in any other situation, and all of sudden she turns her head and blushes profusely, and refuses to meet his gaze, furthering his burgeoning fear, but all is set right again when she responds,

"Of course I want to marry you! I just didn't think… I mean, I thought maybe you might not want to… I mean… I didn't know you'd make it official… I thought maybe you just wanted me as a…"

Before she can say the word he knows she's thinking, he raises the hand no longer holding Ah-Un's reigns and grips her chin roughly, forcing her to look at him. He sees her wince and inwardly he winces himself. He's fighting down anger now, and he must remind himself that she while she is no longer a child, she is still young and the things she has heard him say in the past about Inuyasha's _human_ mother must have influenced her line of thinking. She thinks he means to take her into his heart, and his bed, but not into his _life_. She thinks he wants her as a _whore_.

_Never!_

Yes, this is _his_ fault, not hers. Upon realizing this, he softens again, able to push away the anger at her, and reserve it for himself.

"A whore?" he all but whispers, the very word making his stomach churn and his tongue feel thick. Rin is his precious little girl… never once had he ever thought to…

_No._

He _must_ remedy this situation, and lay to rest this malicious self doubt and poisonous flaw in Rin's thinking.

Before he can take another step, literally or figuratively, this girl will know his heart, even if he must grind the words from throat and _will_ his lips to move, he _will_ say the words which _must be_ said.

_She is worth it._

"You would think I mean to take you as whore?"

There is no accusation in his tone, in fact, even though he knows the cause of this misconception, he can not help but to wonder how this girl who, in all other ways seems to read him so well, has so seriously misjudged his feelings when it comes to _her._

He sounds sad, lost, and bewildered, and he knows it, _and hates it,_ but it is beyond his control. In this single instance, he cannot help the tone of regret in his own voice.

Her slight nod, lowered eyes, and the way her cheeks burn with shame; all those things conspire to kill all the joy he was feeling only moments ago.

"Rin…"

He calls her name but she does not look up,

"Look at me, Rin."

He tries, again more softly this time. These are not commands, not even requests, but the pleadings of man desperate to regain the connection he felt with his _beloved_,

only moments ago.

_Yes. My anata…_

He thinks about the phrase to himself, pleased with the sound of it, but tamps down that feeling, reminding himself of the problem at hand, and steeling himself to do what must be done, say what must be said, to resolve it.

_Rin…please_.

Reluctantly she raises her eyes to his, and before he can speak again, before he can apologize for ever giving her any indication that she would be anything less than his 'Lady Wife' and his 'Life Mate' and his _equal_ in all things, _she_ speaks.

"Gomennasai, Sesshomaru-sama… Rin should have never doubted you."

Then, the heavens themselves open up and shine down on her lovely face as a wide smile curves her delicate pink lips, and renewed devotion lights the depths of her expressive onyx eyes. In a beautiful moment, the burn of shame is replaced by the blush of a woman who is embarrassed by some compliment he has unknowingly bestowed. She covers their still connected hands with her other one, and gives him a reassuring squeeze, before she continues,

"Please, forget I ever said that… please, Sesshomaru-sama, let's go?"

She tugs on his hand in a childish way, attempting to bring him into forward motion once again, but he is unmoved and instead _he_ drags _her_ closer to his body, placing a hand at her cheek, and leaning down, brushing his lips against her other cheek and whispering,

"Arigato Rin-chan".

He has realized that she has responded the way she has to save him the awkwardness of attempting to verbalize his feelings for her. She has, once again, read him like a book, and responded to his needs perfectly.

_By all the gods and demons in the world, she is so __**good**__ to me._

Rin gives a knowing smile and a nod of acknowledgement, seeming, in that instant, wise beyond her years, and he can't help but this of the contradiction it presents to the childishness of her tug at his hand only moments ago. The thought amuses him, though, he can't say why?

Deciding not to dwell on it, he grabs Ah-Un's reigns again and the two make their way in comfortable companionable silence to his brother's hut, on the outskirts of the village.

Rin gives him a meaningful, yet playful look as she disentangles her hand from his before she calls out to her soon-to-be sister in law. Instead of Kagome, who he could have told Rin from the scent in the hut, wasn't there, two sets of eyes, one gold, one blue, peak out from behind the bamboo door covering, before lighting up and bursting through in a flash of inhuman speed.

He had wondered why she had disconnected herself from him, thinking perhaps modesty or an attempt to spare his pride may have been behind the gesture, but, in an instant that possibility is discounted as two quarter-inuhanyou pups, his niece and nephew, leap out from behind the bamboo curtain and all but _attack_ Rin, knocking her to the ground, licking her face, setting off a round of giggles for all three of them.

"Rin-chan! You're back!"

The eldest, a female, Yuri, if his memory serves, cries out as she nuzzles into Rin, and if he were of a different character, he might have smiled at the scene.

Rin sits up in the grass, carefully pulling the pups from on top of her, and setting the younger, a boy, Souta, he believes, in her lap, and smoothing over his hair, while delicately rubbing his silver puppy ears, giggling as she watches them flick under her gentle touch. The look on her face speaks of her affection for these quarter-demons, and he can't help but be relieved, as he has recently begun to dream of hanyou in his future…

_How much she has changed him._

"Will you play the sniffing game with us again?" The younger pup begs. His sister interrupts him, begging to differ,

"No I wanna play 'predator and prey'!"

He is inwardly curious about the games these pups wish to play, and what they might entail, but he remains characteristically quiet. Perhaps he will inquire later?

Rin giggles, again, before responding.

"Not right now, pups. Auntie Rin needs to speak with your Hahaue."

The pups groan in disappointment, informing Rin that Kagome is tending to a pregnant woman who has been having terrible nausea, and she will return shortly, after she has delivered the herbs that may help the poor woman's condition.

Rin looks up to him, gauging his reaction to the behavior and presence of the pups, and the news of Kagome's delayed arrival.

Only then do the two youngest pack members acknowledge his presence, and only because they have followed her gaze. The boy takes a sniff of the air, and his eyes widen in shock. He climbs out of Rin's lap and rolls onto his back before the alpha-scented daiyoukai. The female, also apparently catching a whiff of his alpha scent, looks up to him and purposely tips her head back, before lowering her eyes to the side.

The instinctual submission to a higher ranking pack member pleases him greatly, and in a very unusual show of his heritage he gives a soft growl, and then an acknowledging bark.

He almost falls to the ground in shock when he hears then, a dismissal yip come from…_Rin._

His eyebrows shoot up into his bangs, so high there is a crease in his crescent moon marking on his forehead. He is openly staring at her in awe.

His Rin only laughs, and gives him a good natured playful growl, and a long drawn out bark, which shows her amusement in surprising him.

The pups look to him for confirmation of the lower ranking female's order to 'run off and play', and he gives a growl that turns to a yip mid way through, indicating a good natured, 'what are you waiting for'?

The two pups get up and skip happily off, and he hears the older one's suggestion to go and find 'Otou-sama'.

He extends a hand, helping Rin to her feet from her current position, still seated on the ground, and as he's helping her up he notices that she too has tilted her head back and to the side, and lowered her eyes. The gesture is the appropriate one of submission when accepting assistance from a higher ranking male, indicating gratitude by way of subtle submission.

As shocked as he is by her actions, he cannot help the warmth that flows into his chest and he acknowledges how immensely _pleased_ he is with Rin in this moment. While he has, of course, accepted her humanity, he cannot help but be elated that she is obviously familiar with Inuyoukai customs and behaviors and he can't help but wonder why she hasn't demonstrated this for him before now.

_Perhaps because you have never demonstrated these behaviors before now…_

When she comes to standing he decides to further test her, and gives a soft growl of approval, and leans forward, looking her in directly in the eyes. She looks slightly away, as she should. This further encourages him and leans forward and gently licks tip of her nose, which, he notices, reflexively scrunches in the most adorable way…

_Adorable?_

He scoffs to himself at his use of terminology, even if it _is_ only in his own mind.

_What has this bitch done to this Sesshomaru?_

There is an inward chuckle that she must have seen slip into his eyes, judging by the soft giggle he hears, as she reaches up with both hands and fists his haori at his shoulders, pulling slightly, encouraging him to lower his face and neck to within her reach. He obliges, wondering if she will do what he hopes she might…

His Rin doesn't disappoint, and he feels her tuck her head briefly under his chin, and then tilt back to lick him, from his Adam's apple to under the tip of his pointed chin.

Instinct kicks in and he can't help but to reward this level of intimate submission. One clawed hand comes up to lightly grip the side of her neck, tipping her head to side, and burying his nose against throat. He feels silken black strands brush against the tip of his nose, and he inhales deeply, resisting the urge to lick her, and taste the salty-sweetness of this vunerable column of her flesh he is so closely pressed against.

_In due time._

He reminds himself that he will have ample opportunity to do just such a thing in the near future, and some things can wait. Instead, he _does_ growl softly against her skin and whisper to her,

"Good giiirrrllll Rin…. "

She goes limp in his embrace, and he _loves_ it, his instincts screaming at him that she is _submitting_, exactly as she should do. Her going limp also gives him an excuse to support her by wrapping his free arm around her waist, and he definitely enjoys that as well.

So pleased is he with this new development and position, that he forgets himself for a moment and fails to stop the sigh of contentment at feeling her pulse and scenting her soft floral scent, and, in his immense pleasure, he mutters, more to himself than to her, and muffled against her throat,

"My beautiful bitch."

The instant the phrase escapes his lips, he stiffens. He has momentarily forgotten that such a phrase could be terribly insulting to a human woman, as 'bitch' is _not_ the term of respect and honor among humans that it is among his kind. He fears he may have hurt her feelings. He is already planning his explanation and apology, when, once again she saves him the trouble of awkward words, and his discomfort is relieved immediately when she responds to him, her voice breathy, and in fact, he can _feel_ her warm breath slipping into the 'V' and brushing his collar bone.

"Hhhaaaiiii… _your_ bitch…_Itsumo your bitch._"

He pulls away, still under the spell she has unwittingly cast, and confirms it for both of them once again. With all seriousness, and strong conviction his deep voice resonates in the air, as he states with an authority he knows she finds comforting,

"Hai… you _are_ mine, Rin. Now, and _forever_, you _belong to _this Sesshomaru."

The girl sighs in contentment, and gives him an easy smile, the one he so longs to see.

Yes, the thought is infinitely pleasing and more comforting than his pride would care to admit.

_My Rin, my bitch, forever…"_

She smiles wider when he looks away, momentarily lost in his own thoughts, and growls under his breath, speaking only to himself, but loud enough that she can make out the single word he has said.

"_MINE."_


	6. The Inlaws

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Sesshomaru or even little Rin... although, she can come over and play dollies and tea party whenever her adorable little heart desires!

A/N: The seventh chapter... wow... I'm impressed with myself... but, I'm more worried about impressing all of YOU, so let me know if I've FAILED totally, okay? P.S. special thanks to Kirayasha aka Kira, for being a wonderful beta and friend, don't forget to check her out!

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The spell is broken as soon as he hears his brother's miko make her way over to the hill. Even after all these years, he can still sense her unease in his presence, and now for some reason he cannot determine, it grates on him. She should know by now that he has no ill intentions for either her pack or the village at large, but still she fears him.

It reminds him yet again, that there is only one woman whom he has never scented fear on, at least in reaction to him.

_Rin._

All those years ago he could not decide if it was foolishness or bravery that led the little orphaned girl, who obviously lacked proper supervision, to his side, when he was alone in the woods; wounded, and in enough pain to easily be considered 'feral.'

Lately however, he has found he no longer even cares to question it, as it no longer makes a difference. He has recently decided to stop dwelling on things he cannot change, and accept the fates' kindness to him, though he knows he will never be able to fathom the reasons he has gained their favor.

_He truly doesn't deserve her._

The woman his brother makes his home with fakes a smile, but he can feel her miko energy swirling. Although it does not harm him in it's dormant state, he is forced to admit- she is the only miko he has ever met that is strong enough to cause an involuntary reaction from his jykai. He closes his eyes for the briefest of moments, focusing on regaining his inner peace, while continuing to strive to maintain it in the presence of one who should naturally be his enemy.

How his brother can mate with her and remain unaffected is another subject he has unwittingly found himself contemplating, despite his best efforts, not to think of such things in regards to... _him._

While he is aware that it makes her 'weaker', he is still infinitely glad in these moments that Rin is _not_ a miko. _That_ might have been the final advantage she needed over him, to push her into the territory of 'true threat'; and in those early days… he might have killed her.

He had thought about it several times when she was younger and the girl had demonstrated the uncanny ability to know his mind and heart without any outward indications from him. That is one talent she continues to display, even to this very day.

It had only been curiosity on his part that kept the girl alive and at his side in those early days, and now more than ever he is grateful that his father's training had beaten down his natural impulses to make rash and violent decisions when he was but a pup.

The miko regards him coolly, and yet, he can tell that she is struggling for control of herself in the face of more jykai than she is able to purify. She is fighting her instinct to run and try to escape, or to throw a barrier up around herself and pray.

_How did she carry quarter youkai pups?_

There are some mysteries he will never solve.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Rin-chan?" She nods her head at them both in turn, although he knows she would usually never be so formal with Rin. This act is for his benefit alone, and he wishes, not for the first time, that he had the ability to turn his imposing jykai OFF and ON at will.

Even without the jykai swirling in his aura, he is an imposing figure and it had always served his purposes well to intimidate those around him. However, now that he has no desire to be so imposing or condescending, he finds it annoying that he lacks the ability to 'connect' with others, thus leaving him forever an outsider, always looking in at those around him; an observer, -not a participant- in the lives these people lead. He is still, despite everything, not 'one of them'; not a true member of the pack. He is, for all practical purposes and despite his alpha status, a lone dog. Everything in his instincts fights against this reality, but his demeanor and 'personality' (or in his case, lack thereof), makes it so. This contradiction within himself has always proved to be his one fatal flaw, and is the source of many of his contradictory actions.

Proclaiming he 'protects nothing' as he is _in the process_ protecting the girl. Claiming he is only going to hell to kill the dog, however saving Rin in the process… even his mother hadn't bought that line…

Yes, his seemingly never ending list of hypocritical actions which contradict his words have always spoken louder to the girl. She understands his mouth and mind are not always in agreement and has therefore chosen to ignore his possibly hurtful words and instead let his actions speak of his true mind on any given matter.

When everyone else heard 'This Sesshomaru protects nothing", the girl heard him louder and more clearly than the rest…

_This Sesshomaru protects **you**, Rin._

If not for the girl, it was entirely possible that he would have spent his entire existence alone, never feeling the warmth of another's touch, never knowing what it was like to be in the presence of another and not have to fight the instinctive crinkle of his nose while he attempts to sift through the scent of fear to discern what else they might be feeling.

_He'd always thought that humans __**smelled badly**_.

He'd never known the sweet floral scent of a human woman could be so enticing until he'd smelled it without the overlaying and pungent aroma of absolute _terror_. Whether they thought he meant to rape or kill, he was never entirely sure. All he knew was that the mere _sight_ of him in the distance induced something close to a state of panic and it was not rare for ningen onna to pass out if he paused to even ask for directions.

Yes, he learned quickly in his younger years that it was better to find his own way, rather than to deal with the harsh reality that he was a thing of terror and fear, myth and horror stories told around campfires, and warnings to children of what could befall them if they wandered too far from home.

Even when he'd been a pup that had been the case.

_He is a monoke, a **monster**._

Sesshomaru could never understand how his father could _stand_ to be around his human woman. He had had no idea they could react in any other way towards his kind.

So it was no small wonder that he'd come to hate them. It wasn't easy to soften towards an entire race of people that assumed the worst about him with absolutely nothing to go on but facial markings and silver hair.

_They wanted his worst? _

_They wanted a **monster**?_

Then a monster he would be…

Oh, and he'd given them their monster, alright. He **became** something to be afraid of. Even with _her_, his immediate intent had been to _frighten_ her off.

_But…_

Rin had refused to see a monster in the woods that day, seeing instead only a wounded creature, in dire need of assistance and _she_ refused to be _frightened_ away.

_She_ has single handedly redefined everything he has ever 'known' about her kind.

It had taken years for him to realize what the lovely scent was that always hung about her in a pleasant cloud. It wasn't until he'd left her with Kaede that he had even realized that she didn't _always_ smell that way… No… it was not until he observed and caught her scent from afar, and she hadn't smelled of that lovely aroma, that he knew that it wasn't a constant.

He had only figured it out when the pleasant scent surrounded her again while she was recalling a memory of her parents; in great detail. She'd ended her story with, 'Rin misses her okaa-san and otou-san… Rin loved them very much…'

His eyes had widened and his jaw had gone slack at finally realizing what that scent that he had so come to enjoy on her was… That wonderful scent that never failed to surround her when she was near him, even in her sleep. The very scent he came to associate with her as much as he associated her with side ponytails and flowers…

That scent was…

_Love._

~*~

"Kagome-chan! Guess what? Rin is getting married!"

He watches the miko's pleasant surprise paint itself over her features. Obviously she hasn't yet realized who Rin means to marry, or she would not be…

His thoughts are abruptly interrupted when the younger miko, now completely different in both stance and scent, approaches him and gives him her sternest glare…

"Aniki, I swear, if you hurt her, I'll purify you to within an inch of you life! Do you hear me?"

Her threat is harsh but her tone is light and he is perplexed again by the contradictions he finds in humans, especially the females of the species. He can't ever recall a time when Rin has displayed this kind of odd behavior. Her scent, her sound, and her sight always… match. She is truly incapable of deceit and artifice. It is one of the reasons he chooses to label her as 'pure' in his mind. There are never any tears when she says she is 'fine' and never once has she claimed she is 'fine' when there are tears… the way he has observed his brother's miko to be.

He finds it odd that a miko could be so internally disorganized, but perhaps this is simply one of those 'human' things that is simply beyond his understanding?

For once she has used the 'proper' term for him; Aniki has much more respect behind it than Onii-san… This pleases him so he decides to reward her for it.

"ojou-san … do you _doubt_ this Sesshomaru's intentions?"

The miko waves her hand away as if dismissing his question.

"Soooooo, when will it be? Oh! Rin! We have to prepare!"

This strange female seems as if she has taken upon herself the task of planning the ceremony, when neither he nor Rin has asked for her assistance, and once again he is annoyed, something this woman never fails to do to him. He looks only slightly away and stiffens for less than a second, but his Rin has caught on, whereas this other… ningen… has obviously not.

"Uhhh, Kagome-chan… we've only just begun to get the details together, but before we do anything, don't you think it would be wise if we spoke to Miroku-sama first?"

Rin's diplomacy is admirable and he can't help but to be impressed. She has handled this woman far better than he ever could have. He is force and power, where Rin is tact and reason.

_It is a good match…_ He reminds himself, his pride swelling at his obvious genius in deciding to accept Rin as a mate. She is his perfect compliment, and will be an asset to his supreme reign, and he is certain that, when the time comes she will be a most capable negotiator.

His pride has not even silently communicated his private pride, at least the he is aware of, and yet, he can see the blush of Rin's cheeks as if he has just said complimented her aloud.

_What is her secret?_

He was so distracted that he missed the directions to the monk's location. Rin knows this too, as she walks only _slightly_ in front of him for several steps, until he is able to pick up on the general direction. She has once again, spared him any sort of embarrassment in admitting his wandering mind.

It is true…There are many times when others see him as 'aloof' and 'distant', when he is merely 'distracted,' caught inside his own personal thoughts and simply…_not paying attention._

If his enemies were to ever pick up on this weakness of character, he would surly be taken advantage of, but his Rin has simply accepted it as a part of him, and gently guides him ever closer to the world outside his mind.

Within a reasonable distance, he is able to pick up on the scent of the monk and he notes with disgust that he can still smell the recent coupling with his taijiya wife. Sesshomaru sifts through his memory and he tries to recall if there has ever been a time he _hasn't_ scented recent mating on this particular monk… With a snort of disgust, he realizes no particular instance comes to mind.

_Surely he **bathes**; as there are no **other** unpleasant scents… it is simply that this monk is incapable of keeping himself in his robes._

**_Disgusting_. **

"What's wrong, Sesshomaru-sama?"

Again Rin knows without his saying that something is bothering him.

"It's nothing, Rin."

Then it dawns on him … She is still using his title, and he has yet to use a single human endearment towards her. He is certain that he has heard his brother call his mate many things; anata, koibito, and occasionally even 'bitch,' however, he has yet to make any of these hallmark statements towards _his_ intended.

He congratulates himself for even thinking of something he would usually deem so trivial. Then again, even one as inexperienced as he is, is well aware that females of _all_ species place high importance on such sentimentalities and useless gestures. It is the nature of them.

Before they draw near the monk's home, he stops and turns towards Rin.

"Rin."

Immediately she stops, her attention rapt. She never fails to do exactly as he wishes.

"You will cease to add the honorific to… my… name."

_Yes_… He gives himself another mental pat on the back. The girl is pleased with this development. He can smell it and see it in her expressive features. Although, she has only nodded her assent, he is scenting the feelings radiating off of her, and she is _very_ pleased indeed.

"Yes… Sesshomaru…"

Just as he expected she tries saying his name without his title almost immediately. This girl is able to surprise him more than any other creature ever has, so on the occasions that he is able to predict her behavior, his ego always soars, and this occasion is no different.

He walks tall and proud with her at his side as the monk comes into view.

~*~

The monk, far more genuine in his actions than the miko, actually approaches _him._ Secretly, of all of his brother's companions it is the monk that he would say understands him the most. Never once has he attempted to manipulate or 'charm' him, the way he has seen this houshi do with others. No, with him, the monk always shows the proper amount of deference, and states his business clearly and concisely. For that alone, Sesshomaru has granted the monk the smallest amount of respect, even if he _doesn't_ acknowledge it aloud, it is there.

He also appears to be the only one among the group to understand that Sesshomaru is no longer given to unprovoked attacks upon his brother or his brother's pack.

"Well, Good day to you, Sesshomaru-sama," he pauses, before tossing a genuine smile Rin's way, "And to you, Lady Rin." He turns back to Sesshomaru, as he should when discussing 'business' matters, "What is it I can do for you, my ally if not my friend?"

Rin giggled softly to herself at the monk's compliment of her, but wisely decides not make an issue of it in front of him.

"I require your assistance, houshi."

Miroku nods knowingly, and glances at Rin, then nods his head in a silent show of acceptance, before stating, "It will, of course, be my honor, to assist you in any way possible."

His answer is exactly what Sesshomaru wants to hear, as the monk has all but agreed, and will be hard pressed to deny the request for a ceremony, now that he has made such an open-ended offer.

"I wish for you to perform a ceremony for Rin and this Sesshomaru."

Miroku nods, and the tiniest hint of playfulness sneaks into his tone,

"Am I to assume this is to be a wedding ceremony?"

Sesshomaru stiffens, he will not allow this monk to make a mockery of his request, and he was determined that the monk see the seriousness of his intent. He Arches one delicate eyebrow, and decides to respond simply. He will not explain himself or his request unless he is forced to do so. This monk will see no hesitation in him. He will make no apologies or excuses, this is his choice, and he will not allow the monk to feel as if, just because Sesshomaru _needs_ him, that he has a right to question the decisions of one such a he.

"You are. Will you do it?"

The monk brings his hand to his chin and an even wickeder gleam shines in the back of violet eyes, as he says,

"Hmmm… I would feel much better performing the ceremony if you were to claim her in the youkai way first."

Sesshomaru is clearly annoyed. He stares with a deadly calm at the monk, his eyes narrow and he feels his claws _twitch_.


	7. Preparations

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Sesshomaru, Rin, or Miroku or anyone else for that matter…

A/N: The quick posting of this next chapter was only made possible because Kirayasha aka Kira is the fastest, bestest beta in the whole wide world, so if you were worried you'd have to wait… thank her for this!

Lemon is moved up to Chapter 10, but, its gonna be a doozy…

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He _will_ refrain from injuring this monk, especially in front of Rin, who, he notes, has stiffened slightly at the obvious suggestion in the monk's tone. He isn't sure if she has stiffened because she does not relish the idea of mating with him in the physical sense, or if it is because she is unsure of _his_ feelings regarding the matter, but it is fairly obvious that she is uncomfortable with speaking of it publicly.

"And why is that?"

He has forced the question out, and truly, he _would_ like the answer, as he would have thought a monk would be the last person to encourage pre-marital mating practices among humans.

"It is my understanding that youkai mating is by far the more…_binding_ ritual, and it is not unheard of for youkai to 'marry' human women only to get them into the futon, and then dismiss them, claiming that the marriage means nothing, and because they are not marked, there are no binding ties."

_As if **this** monk has any right to speak on such a matter…_

He grudgingly gives him credit though, the monk has realized by now that inuyoukai do not _always_ mate for life. They can 'mate' without being 'mated,' that is to say that the female is not always 'marked' by the male. It was the situation with Inuyasha's mother, and even his own, and his Chichi-ue.

His father was a great leader, a brilliant general, but a philanderer and a bit of a lecher in his personal life. He refused to mark either of his females and Sesshomaru would not be surprised if there had been more than two. Perhaps someday he will find another sibling somewhere along his path. That the possibility is there, he's sure of.

He is effectively trapped. He could choose to be offended, and kill the monk outright, however, that would not serve his purposes, and there would be no other to perform the ceremony. He could choose to argue with the monk but it is beneath him and he knows he won't. He needs this monk and the damned houshi knows it. There is more than just a hint of annoyance in his stance now and Rin's breath has caught in her throat at the not-so-subtle insult the monk has thrown his way.

He _will_ prove himself the better in this situation.

"Agreed, then. When next we come to you, three days from now, Rin will be marked, and you _will_ perform the ceremony, with _no_ further delays."

He is almost ready to give up on his annoyance, but then the monk nods and…_winks_ at him, before he walks away. He forces himself to breathe through only his nose as a way to stave off the impending growl.

Rin has no doubt noticed his anger and frustration and now that the monk is gone, he must be certain she knows it will not be directed at her. He feels her small hand on his forearm, breaking him from his stance, as she puts gentle pressure on it, asking wordlessly for him to look at her.

He turns slowly to her and she is looking up at him, obviously searching for the invisible clues that she uses to read him so well.

"It's alright, Sesshomaru-sa-, Sesshomaru."

Her voice is so sweet, and she seems so certain of him, that, even if the monk's doubt had been genuine, he knows it has not poisoned her against him in the least.

"There will be no dishonor in it." He means to reassure her, to let her know that _his_ ceremony is just as _official_ as the 'human' one. To a youkai it is all that is needed to bind them and make her position in his life irrefutable.

She laughs and raises a brow to him; playful and soothing. She is so free in ways he can never be…

"Sesshomaru," he enjoys that his name is coming to her more naturally already,

"I don't give a _DAMN_ about what anyone else has to say. I only care what _you_ think of me, not these other…_humans_."

He can't help but be surprised at her swearing. She seems so grown up in that moment, but just as quickly she reverts back to her childish giddy laughter, before pulling him down to her, in yet another familiar gesture. She wishes to whisper in his ear.

*888 Flashback 888*

_The soon to be twelve year old girl sat in his lap, smiling at him. He frowned at her, not understanding why she was so happy. She waved him closer, and he leaned in, surprised that she leaned in even further, decreasing the space between them._

"_Sesshomaru-sama… Rin has a secret!"_

_He quirked his brow at her, but allowed her to lean in and place her mouth near his ear, and whisper to him, in her giddy child's voice, _

"_Rin thinks you're handsome and she likes your hair!" She pulled back quickly, blushing, and afraid to look into his eyes, as if she had just told him something very embarrassing._

_It was… strange. He'd never thought of his physical appearance as… pleasing… before, least of all to a human. _

_By youkai standards he wasn't attractive per se, although he was far from hideous, he had many shortcomings in the 'looks' department. _

_He lacked the broad shoulders of his father, favoring his mother's slight build instead. He was on the thin side, lacking the ability to build bulky muscles, no matter how hard he trained. His thin physique made even more noticeable because of his height. His jaw line was not 'square' as was the preferred 'look' for a male, and his facial structure is…feminine, to say the least. _

_In fact, to youkai, for whom physical appearance was primarily a way to tell genetic fitness to mate, he was most definitely… lacking. _

_He wasn't 'handsome' no… he was… **pretty**. _

_He looked like a female. _

_He knew it, and there was no sense denying it. He'd been mistaken for a bitch often enough by humans and youkai with weak noses._

_He regarded the girl in his lap seriously, thinking over her words. **She** had called him…**handsome**. He was fairly certain she was the first to do so. Even the wind whore hadn't complimented his appearance, choosing instead to dwell upon his strength. _

_He snorted and placed his hand on the top of Rin's head, smoothing down the still somewhat wild dark strands._

"_Thank you, Rin."_

_He accepted the compliment, without offering one of his own in return, but as always, it was enough for the tousle-headed girl that he had not rebuked her._

_She looked up shyly and smiled, nestling into him, sighing and falling asleep. He'd soon have to carry her back to the hut and the old miko. _

_As soon as he thought of that task, he realized as much as he knew he had to…_

_He didn't **want** to leave._

*888 End Flashback 888*

He leaned down, and Rin whispered to him,

"_I'm _really _glad_ we won't have to wait…"

How could she say something so provocative and sound so damn innocent at the same time? His eyebrows hit his bangs and his jaw went slightly slack, though he forced his mouth not to open.

She pulled back, in a mirror reaction of her actions four years ago, this time, however, he reacted differently. He pulled her close, and whispered back to her,

"As is this Sesshomaru…" He inwardly winced at his formal language, realizing at once that it was because he was uncomfortable with the subject that he had reverted to using it in the girl's presence, and surely she would pick up on this.

She must have, for she reached for his hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze which he returned, carefully. He is never more acutely aware of his own strength than when he is handling the girl. The thought makes him even more nervous about mating with her, _but_, he wants to share his first time with her so _badly_, that even his fears won't hold him back. He will simply have to be…_careful_… with her.

They have returned to his brother's hut and it is quickly decided that Rin will stay there for the night, looking over the gifts his mother has sent. He will take Ah-Un and mark an area with his scent where the obedient dragon will no doubt stay and await his return.

He is glad to have the night to himself as it would afford him the opportunity to speak to his half-brother, once he returns near sunset.

He seeks to lessen the sting of his perceived hypocrisy by having a… conversation with the hanyou. He may also take the opportunity to seek advice. Yes, for Rin's sake, he will ask his brother to relay to him what he knows of human women and…mating.

There would be far _more_ shame to be had in failing her, whether it be in failing to please her, or the gods forbid, accidentally hurting her, than in asking for counsel. He convinces himself of this, justifying it in his mind, willing himself to accept the idea that it _must_ be done, and dredging up the fortitude to go through with it.

The other question was… _where?_

He refuses to allow Rin's -_and his_- 'first time' to happen in the woods on cold hard ground with dirt and grass and bugs and animals surrounding them. No. There is a _proper _way to do things and that is his intent.

There would be candles, blankets, and a comfortable futon. There would be walls around them and privacy screens to shield them. There would be tatami mats and breakfast and a place to bathe properly when all was said and done. It would not do to walk around smelling like the monk, after all.

The shiro, he intended to live in with Rin, was far too far away, so that left him with only one option – the inn at the village. However, he did not want other _humans_ in the rooms next to him, hearing him and his _**anata, **__(yes, the phrase is still pleasing to him), _mating, or anyone else at breakfast with him the next morning.

No… He would rent out the _entire_ inn, every last room, for the next five days, allowing two days before the wedding, the day of the wedding, and two days after.

His Rin deserved it.


	8. Wait No Longer

DISCLIAMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA OR SESSHOMARU OR RIN, HOWEVER RIN WILL BE COMING TO MY HOUSE FOR A TEA PARTY AND TO PLAY DOLLIES SOON… I'M SURE OF IT… ONCE RT RETURNS MY INSISTANT PHONE CALLS… AND DROPS THAT WHOLE 'RESTRAINING ORDER' BUSINESS.

A/N: ONCE AGAIN MY HEARTFELT THANKS TO MY WONDERFUL BETA FOR BEING SO PROMPT IN HER EDITING. HER SKILLS ARE UNMATCHED AND SHE DOESN'T AFRAID OF ANYTHING! (INTENTIONAL JOKE THERE).

LEMON IS NEXT! IT'S A DOOZY – HE'S A VIRGIN, BUT STILL A DEMON AFTER ALL- AND THE FIRST OF A FEW. YEA! (Read/Review and I'll see what I can't do about getting that lemon up in the next few days!)

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Wait No Longer – Bound 9

Hours and one highly uncomfortable conversation with a human innkeeper later, the hanyou has returned, and he is looking at Sesshomaru with a questioning look on his face. He dreads this. He hates this. He _must_ do this…

"Did you really rent out the entire inn?"

Of course Inuyasha would lack any sort of tact… _of course_.

He chooses not to answer. He chooses also not to think of how the hanyou has already received word of his actions, as he was hoping to be discreet. Never mind that now, He is unsure of how good human hearing is, and it would not do for Rin to over hear this conversation he must have with his otouto.

"Otouto, walk with me." For once he has not said the term for younger brother with any disgust, or condescension in his tone, and the hanyou looks perplexed at this development. He forces himself to breathe deeply, and to maintain his pace, refusing to speak until he is far enough away from the two women in the hut, that he is more than sure they will not hear him.

_This is a private matter._

Once he is beneath a fairly large tree, he seeks to set the hanyou at ease, and he draws his sword, but before Inuyasha can react he plants it in the ground, several feet from his person, before moving back to sit under the tree. He fakes a leisurely pose, bending one leg and resting the elbow of his poisonous arm on top of it. He notes the hanyou is even more confused by these actions than he would be if Sesshomaru had blindly and without cause attacked him.

"Sit."

The command makes his brother flinch, and he doesn't understand at all why. Then a vague memory floats to the surface of a young miko in strange clothing running and screaming towards a Sou'ounga possessed Inuyasha screaming, 'Sit,' repeatedly at the top of her lungs. His eyes flick to the beads still around the hanyou's neck. It sickens him that his brother, who was once sealed to a tree by a miko, now allows another miko to keep him subjugated.

Before he can comment on it, the hanyou, who must have noticed the movement of his eyes, attempts to explain,

"I want them there. I need them, in case I transform… She don't use 'em for 'punishment' anymore, just to keep everyone around me safe."

He has to admit that his brother's explanation certainly makes sense, and he understands now that perhaps the beads _are_ a necessity. A horrifying thought occurs to him then…

_What of the offspring of this Sesshomaru?_

He is now more powerful than his late Lord Father, and his offspring may have similar 'problems' with transformation as Inuyasha. He looks at his brother's hip and at the sword which binds his demon blood and keeps him sane. Unconsciously, his tongue probes his own fangs, and he knows then that he will have to make sure to pay Totosai a visit in the near future, yet another task he does not relish the idea of completing.

With a nod to signify his understanding, he repeats his command, but uses slightly different language, "

Inuyasha, take a seat." This time there is no reflexive flinch and he watches his half-breed of a brother fall gracelessly to the ground, sitting cross legged, and obviously waiting for him to continue speaking. After only a moment taken to a

"I intend to mate Rin."

The lack of surprise in his brother's face succeeds in irritating him. Has he been that obvious in his affections and if so, for how long?

"Yeah, what do you want me to say about it, since when did you need my permission to do anything?"

Sesshomaru forces himself to _BREATHE_. He must remind himself that Inuyasha did not have the benefit of a proper upbringing and his lack of manners and decorum is not his fault. If anything, at least partial blame for the way the half-breed acts could be placed squarely on Sesshomaru's shoulders. As the new alpha, when his father died, it was his responsibility to look after the pack, to raise the pups, or pup as it were. Instead, he cast both his bastard hanyou brother and the human beta female out, leaving them to their own devices. She was a princess he'd reasoned. Surely her family had another shiro somewhere?

Yes, there was another shiro and she had taken her bastard there to live. The two were fine, he'd at least made sure of that, until the time he'd come to check on them and they had simply not been there. The woman had died, they told him, and the vile _humans_ had cast the hanyou out, leaving him to his own devices, to spend his already wretched life as an outcast, wandering the woods alone.

Sesshomaru had searched for days, not knowing what to do now. He hated that little bastard and all he stood for. He hated even more his father for dying, and leaving him with this responsibility, but he _did search._

He never found him. His scent had been washed away by the rain and eventually he'd simply given up. He assumed the pup was dead; no child could survive alone in the youkai infested forests. He had not mourned the loss and was actually quite relieved to be free of his burden. He had much to worry about, his father's enemies were coming for him, and the sword he'd so coveted was nowhere to be found. He had only Tenseiga and his claws to fight the battles which were on his doorstep.

In truth, he was too young to rule, being still a pup himself. Only when he'd willingly handed his mantle to his mother were the other lords satisfied and pacified enough to cease their never ending assaults upon his person.

_Until he matured._ They'd said…

Now, with nothing left to do, no real responsibility to be had, he grew bored with life at the shiro in the clouds and had taken to wandering. He 'patrolled' his territories endlessly, seeking battles with stronger youkai, gathering power so that one day he might take his rightful place on the throne his mother was currently occupying.

Now, more than ever before, he was grateful that he was not expected to actively rule. It would give him time to just _be_ with Rin and to train her in what would become her duties as Lady of the Western Lands. As of now, her only duty was to lay with him and produce as many new pack members as possible.

Speaking of that…

"Then, if you have no objection to my decision, perhaps you will provide this Sesshomaru with… counsel… regarding the matter."

The hanyou gaped at him comically, but he was not amused; this was serious. He suddenly doubted the wisdom of asking the hanyou _anything_ much less for information regarding _females_, never the less…

"You want _me_ to give _you_ advice? What the hell do _you_ need advice on?"

_Speak_, he commanded himself. For _Rin, _you will SPEAK.

"Mating."

There, he'd said it.

III~*~III

Kagome and Rin were busy unpacking the two trunks which were overflowing with silks, combs, incense, spices, sake, and countless other giftss.

One wooded box caught Rin's attention especially and she moved to open it. Inside was the most beautiful white silk she had ever seen. Upon removing it from the box, she realized that it was layer after layer of perfectly white silk, all save for the patterns at the left shoulder and at the sleeves and bottom hems.

Her wedding robes. An uchikake fit for the daughter of the emperor himself, but bearing the crest of the House of the West.

III~*~III

"My tongue?" He knew he had repeated himself, but…

"Yep… they go _crazy _for that, and lemme tell you… there is NO better scent anywhere on earth… or taste for that matter."

The hanyou seems so sure that this is what Rin will enjoy and he hopes that proves to be the case, because he knows not what else to do, but to take his brother's advice. He is now very glad indeed that he chose to bring this up now, _before_ he got into the actual situation, alone with his intended, completely unprepared.

He would have never thought of such acts to perform on a female's body on his own. Left to his own devices, he now seriously doubted Rin would have found any pleasure in the experiences, so clinical and basic was the knowledge imparted to him by his tutors, who cared for nothing for teaching him to give a female pleasure, but instead focused on teaching him only to sire heirs.

For this moment and this moment only he is only too accepting of Inuyasha being both _alive_ and his _brother._ He is certain the feeling of camaraderie will fade soon, but for this single moment, he actually thinks they are… _bonding._

His father would be proud of him… of _them._

He still hates it. Some things will simply not change, not in a single conversation anyway.

"And I am to do this at the same time my fingers are…?"

He is completely aware that he is gaping like an idiot, abandoning all hopes of remaining stoic he can't help it. His only pride is that he has managed, throughout this entire awkward conversation, _not_ to blush.

This is going to be much more complicated than he originally thought it would be…

"Yep, just make sure to clip your claws first, human skin is pretty weak."

III~*~III

Rin was crying, Kagome was 'squeeeing,' and the hut was covered in silks and random items were strewn all over the place, leaving quite a mess indeed. The two males entered, both taken aback at the chaotic scene in front of them.

"Where's the pups?" Inuyasha hadn't seen his pups all day and he was wondering where they were now that it was dark out and they didn't seem to be home.

Rin answered, as Kagome blushed at the mess she had let her home become and quickly moved to begin to pack things away back in their respective boxes, "Sango took them when she saw what a mess we've made of things here." Rin's tears are drying and a genuine giggle escaped her as she too stood up to help clean.

Before he can say another word, she runs up to him and throws her arms around him. He is perplexed, what has he done but walk in the door?

"Sesshomaru, thank you so much!"

Is she thanking him for the gifts? Did he not explain that they were from his mother? Only the uchikake was made on his orders and to his specifications.

She looks up at him and he merely quirks an eyebrow at her but it is enough for her to understand his unspoken question. Rin nods towards the direction of the box which once again holds the layers of wedding kimono he had made for her.

"For the uchikake! It's so beautiful! I really don't deserve it…"

He scoffs. As if he would allow his intended to be married in the rags available in the village.

_Absolutely not!_

"Rin." He says nothing but her name, but the girl responds as if he's completed what he's thinking out loud.

"I know, I'm sorry… I'm just not... used to all this yet. I sometimes…" She blushes. "I sometimes forget your status."

She forgets his status? She never fails to show him proper respect. She always used the honorific with his name. What does she mean?

For a moment he thinks to be insulted, but then he realizes the girl loves… _him._ Not his position, not his power, not what he can do for her, the things he can buy for her, or the way she will, unquestionably, live well while mated to him. No. The girl cares only for _him._ Not Sesshomaru-sama, Taiyoukai, Lord of the Western Lands, current Inu-no-Taisho, One True Son and Heir of Touga before him, Aristocratic Assassin and Master of All He Surveys or any of the other meaningless titles bestowed upon him by those seeking favor by way of flattery; _ignorant fools_.

No, for _her_ he is simply 'Sesshomaru' or - as she liked to mutter in her sleep as a child while softly giggling and taking firmer possession of his mokomoko - '_Rin's maru-sama_…'

His face softens at the memory for a moment but he quickly gets down to business as is his way.

"Rin, I will allow you tonight to-" He quickly makes a sweep of the devastation the two females have wrought inside the tiny hut, "-_pack_. I will be at the inn in the village. Tomorrow, I will come to collect you and your belongings, and you will stay with me there until we depart from this place."

At his mention that he is staying at the inn Rin's eyebrows shoot up but as he continues, getting to the part about staying with him, she blushes and lowers her eyes, nodding mutely, before finally releasing her arms from about his waist.

He glances to his brother and his brother's mate, before grabbing Rin's hand, and leading her outside. He will not allow anyone else to witness his intended actions.

Once outside, on the side of the hut so if someone were to walk outside he and Rin will not be in immediate view, he places his hand on Rin's cheek. She tilts her head to the side and before he can back out or think better of his actions and now that he knows that he doesn't have to wait, he places his lips over hers.

Far from being surprised, the girl responds eagerly. She parts her lips before he does, reaching out with her small tongue to graze his lower lip. He opens his mouth slightly and carefully presses his tongue to hers.

For a moment he is unsure of what to think of the new sensations but once he gets the barest hint of her sweet taste, _minty_, he thinks he is lost. Instinct takes over and he opens fully to her. He dominates the kiss, despite his inexperience, and relishes the joy of exploring her this way.

He makes long slow sweeps of the moist delicious cavern of her mouth, swirling and plunging in a mimic of the movements he brother has told him to make on with his tongue on _other_ parts of her. The thought of that suddenly drives him deeper, and he feels himself harden beneath his hakama as the girl's scent takes on a new and completely different layer. One which he has smelled small hints of on her before but nothing like this now. No, this is _musk_, this is…_arousal_, and this is…_driving him mindless with his own desire. _

He knows his brother was not inaccurate when he said there was no better scent in the world than a female which is aroused with want of _you_ and only _you_. He knows his brother was also not mistaken when he said the compulsion would be overwhelming…

_He __**must**_ _taste the source of this scent. He must taste __**her. There. **_

_**He MUST taste her THERE!**_

He pulls back, before he can be lost to the erection he knows will soon become painful. He wishes to take his time with her tonight, and it will not due to become hasty because of his own needs. Her needs and pleasures _must_ and _always will_ come first. It is the way an alpha male _should_ treat his most honored bitch.

An alpha runs the pack, _but,_ his bitch runs _him._ It is how it always has been and how it always will be and Rin and Rin alone will have the power to command him.

He breathes against her mouth, speaking against her lips, "Rin."

The girl seems equally effected, and she's panting, and her eyes are unfocused. He knows then that she _wants him. _

She wants him, and it is him she shall have… tonight.

She isn't blushing so much as she is flushed and he can hear her heart beating away in her chest like a wild thing that has been caged. His own heartj is not so very far behind hers and he knows in that instance he can wait no longer.

"Wait here…" she breathes.

Never has she commanded him to do _anything_ before, but he is reduced now to a basic and primal level, left helpless to do anything but obey. Her new role in his life dictates that it be animalistic and instinctual that he act this way towards her and only her. She is _his _bitch, but he is also _her_ alpha male, and _she_ has made a demand of him, that he can do no other but to fulfill.

She has left no room for argument and he is in no position to argue. His most honored bitch has spoken of her want for the pleasures he so desperately and instinctually seeks to be _**allowed**_ to give to her, and, as is the way of inuyoukai males and females,

She may _want_ him, but, tonight, and always, he will _need_ her.

Once again, he admits, if only to himself,

_Her power over him is absolute._

His raging hormones and hyper-driven and recently awakened mating instincts have reduced his inner dialog to two words:

_Mine. Tonight. Mine. Tonight._

III~*~III

Rin made her way around to the front of the hut, completely unaware of her effect on her lord's deepest instincts and most primal needs, all she knew was that, now that she didn't _have to_, she didn't _want to_ wait to be with him, she had waited long enough, in her opinion. She pulled back the bamboo door covering, leaning her head inside. Suddenly she was embarrassed, but her need to be with the one she'd waited for so long to call her own gives her the courage speak her intentions. Luckily, it doesn't seem she needs to explain much, as her scent is giving her away.

"Uhhhh… Kagome-chan?"

She notices the knowing look that passed between the miko and her hanyou husband, who Rin has no doubt can smell the arousal on her a mile away. She's worked up and there is no hiding it from his senses.

Kagome laughs, giving her a wink in the process.

"Just go. I'll clean this all up and besides, it'll be waiting here for you tomorrow." Rin nods rapidly and, in all honestly a bit to eagerly to be considered lady like, but she has been waiting for _so long_ for him that she cannot bring herself to care.

She comes around the corner and grabs the hand of her _very_ _worked up_ inu-taiyoukai, her husband to be, and gives him a knowing look and light squeeze.

"Let's go."

III~*~III

This is the second time in five minutes that she has given him an order, but he is happy to oblige .

He is ready, he knows he is. More importantly, _she_ is ready.

Pushing all his fears and doubts to the side, he walks ahead of her, leading the way…

To the inn…

To their new life…

To a night filled with the promise of experiencing a passion he has waited hundreds of years to feel.

He will wait _**no**_ _longer._

Tonight, _she_ has decieded, she is _**his**._

_~RS~  
_


	9. At the Inn Foreplay

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters... or Inuyasha

A/N: I decided to leave this chapter as is because I am totally stuck on it… and if I keep messing with it, I'll never move on, and I REALLY want to get the whole lemon up within the next couple days, so I can't stay stuck on this, maybe later I'll go back, but for now I just want to move on. Look for an update by the end of next week. Then after that they leave the village, and we have them traveling and Sess and Rin run into a bit of trouble… but it leads to a HOT lemon. After that they get to the shiro he has 'acquired' for her... and he has a surprise vistor.

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They make their way past the huts and shops on the way to inn. He can hear the words of the curious and sometimes even horrified villagers, who are peaking out of their huts and watching them.

His mind is racing, filled with possibilities and fantasies of what this night will bring for him. His body is thrumming and he can feel his muscles undulating, as if on the edge of transformation, though he is managing, barely, to keep the whites of his eyes from bleeding to red. He forces himself _not_ to pant and his chest _not_ to heave, and is only able to accomplish the feat by breathing only through his nose. Rin's scent of immediate arousal is waning and his control gains ground slowly, until he can at least _breathe _again.

Rin seems to notice, and instead of becoming more excited she seems to be becoming paradoxically more calm. She is in direct opposition to him, and yet it steadies him, preventing him from breaking decorum, and simply hefting her against him and _teleporting_ to the inn, regardless if it causes a village wide panic or not.

He walking a thin wire and each step he takes seems labor intensive and he must focus his perfect control to keep his steps measured and unhurried.

His control finds greater purchase though, by the fact that he is aware, at the edge of his senses of the reactions he is getting from the villagers. His sensitive ears can't help but focus on some of the rude things the villagers are saying of them. It seems that word has spread quickly of Rin's intentions to become his mate and wife.

Oddly enough he isn't insulted for himself. He could care less what these…_humans_ feel about him. It is Rin he is concerned for. She's a 'whore' and 'Demon's bitch' and 'Dog fucker'. He wonders how much she can hear, hoping that she can't hear any of it at all.

There is a secret, deep part of himself that has the fear that at some point along this walk Rin will hear something that will strike _just_ the right chord, or, she will notice the sheer volume of the statements against her character, and she will realize what her life will be like as a human woman mated to a taiyoukai, and… she'll back out. She'll _reject_ him.

Until they are officially mated, she has every right to do so, regardless of his feelings for, or intentions towards, her. If that happened, after he's allowed himself to feel so much for her… he'd be… lost.

All his work would be for naught, and though he'd walk away with his head held high, he'd have to face returning home to his mother with his tail between his legs. The shame would be unbearable, and seppuku would be a more viable option that admitting this failure to his mother.

All he has is his pride and Rin, and if this mortal woman stripped him of that, and he lost her…

He inwardly shudders, refusing to think on the possibility any longer.

It is a testament to his centuries of training that has given him near-perfect control of himself and of his willingness to show restraint for the sake of Rin, that he has not killed anyone… yet. This is, however, no time to test his patience.

Suddenly his urgency to claim her is about not only physical need but also about his desire to stake his claim on her and bind them together before she can back out.

'Perhaps she is bewitched' a woman muses, loud enough for even Rin, who, while she does not have senses near as good as his, has also obviously noticed the stares and whispers, to hear. She ignores it completely, the only sign she has heard is the sigh, the rolling of her eyes, and the gentle squeeze to his hand.

He stiffens. The scent of a human female, about Rin's age, is approaching rapidly and he can hear the nervous pounding of this unknown female's heart. She stops a few feet away. She's carrying a small bundle in her hands.

"Rin!!! Stop!!! Wait a minute!!!" Rin turns, stiffening only slightly and giving him what could only be interpreted as an imploring look. Perhaps she is asking him not to kill this woman, though, she should know him better than that? Perhaps she is more aware than he originally thought of his state of mind.

"She's my friend, just let me see what she wants so we can be on our way?" Rin whispers.

He's annoyed, but the walk and the recession of the scent of Rin's immediate physical arousal grants him the patience to nod his head and release her hand, allowing her to walk to the girl she has called 'a friend'. This woman has only moments before he _snaps_, and Rin seems to know this too, because she makes haste.

Rin makes her way to the only slightly younger female. Obviously Rin is a little nervous, not knowing what this girl means to say to her in front of Sesshomaru, but she holds her head high and doesn't look back at him for reassurance. He is once again proud of his choice in mate. She's stronger than he sometimes gives her credit for.

"What is it, Rikasuka?" The girl must have picked up on the wary tone to her friend's voice because she smiles and extends the bundle, an immediate peace offering. The girl glances back at the imposing taiyoukai her friend has chosen to marry and, she must have heard about him before because she seems non-plussed when he fails to return her friendly smile, only turning back to Rin.

"I just heard the good news! I didn't have a lot of time to prepare my gift, but, I wanted to give you this." She extends the package in her hand to Rin.

Rin relaxes and takes the bundle.

"Thank you! You really are a _true_ friend. Your well wishes mean a lot to me." Rin is genuine in her words, and Sesshomaru forces himself to appreciate, at least on some small level, this female's timing. She is giving Rin reassurance and confidence in her decision to mate with him at just the right moment, and allowing him more time to gain control of himself before he finds himself alone, burning with need, and with a willing female. This is not just any willing female though, and he _intends _to take his time… even if it kills him.

The girl glances at him again, eyeing him, taking in all the details, and he can smell her… attraction… to him. He's surprised to say the least; two human females appreciating his physical appearance? He hopes his father still has his furs, because the hells must be experiencing a blizzard.

He watches the girl pull a vial from her sleeve, and then pull Rin in to whisper to her conspiratorially,

"Now that I've finally _seen_ him… I can't _blame_ you for being in love with him your whole life, and going on and on about him all the time! He's _very _attractive – so tall… and those _eyes…_ yummy!" The girl lowers her voice even more, she must not be aware of the futility of such an action, but Rin is blushing, knowing he's hearing the entire 'secret' conversation, "Oh, and take this," she hands Rin the vial, "my mother made it for you when she heard you were mating a demon. She says they're you-know-what's are bigger than a human's. Ask him to put some on his… you know… before you guys… _do it. _It'll numb _you_ just a little bit, not too much, but it won't affect _him_, since he's a demon. It will help with your pain, but not stop your enjoyment, and without ruining anything for him."

Rin's face is the color of Inuyasha's firerat, but she nods and takes the vial. Although the other female is not, _Rin _is aware he has heard every word of their conversation. She gives the girl a hug, and a promise to visit before she leaves. He isn't sure why but he's convinced Rin intends to impart _details_ of this night to this girl… he inwardly shakes his head. He must be paranoid. Rin would do no such thing…_ would she?_

Deciding not to think on anything that may ruin the night, he beckons his soon to be mate. Yes, he is aware he is showing impatience, but the truth is, he _is_ eager to move along. His posture is not the only thing that is rigid in this moment, despite his worry he is still physically aroused, and he's uncomfortable walking around in such a state, it would be highly improper for anyone to notice such a thing on his person.

"Rin."

Rin gives the girl a final wave, and joins him at his side once more.

"I'm sorry, it's just she's my best friend and she's never even _seen_ you and I'm sure she was curious… I'm sorry you had to hear that. I didn't talk about you _that_ much…"

He can sense the embarrassment and deception on her, but far from being angry, he is… amused. Why now, when he's stated his feelings and she has stated hers she would think he might be upset at hearing that she's spoken of her love and admiration for him, he can't understand?

He can't bring himself to answer her, speaking would cause a break in his concentration, but he squeezes her hand. It is the only way he can continue to _focus_ himself… he _must_ calm himself. He _will_ take his time… he _will_ be gentle with her. His mind fills with images of his Rin, touching him, kissing him, running her fingers through his hair, throwing her head back and baring her throat as his fangs press lightly into her tender flesh.

He gives an audible growl. Low and not at all the comforting sound Rin is used to. As soon as he feels his chest shake he cuts it off. He isn't sure if his eyes are still gold and… yummy (?)… anymore. He actually stops his progress and closes his eyes, focusing on control.

Rin has halted next to him, questions and concern in her facial features. He actually physically shakes his head, as if to clear the images from his mind. His cock throbs painfully and his lips tighten as he searches harder for some semblance of control of his body.

He forces himself into forward motion once again. He must… if he does not, he is going to scare her with his odd actions. No one, not even Rin, is immune from fear of him completely, and if she gets even an inkling of the ideas running through his mind, she will most certainly back out. No female wants to be ravaged, and roughly used their first time.

Rin must have some idea of what his problem is by now, because a blush steals its way across her nose and cheeks and her pupils dilate. She disentangles her hand from his and instead takes possession of his elbow, reaching her other arm across her body to stroke his bicep in a soothing way.

She is… petting him…

She can feel his rigid musculature beneath his layers of silk and she runs her hand over his arm, tracing the curve of his flexed muscle. She sighs and lays her head against his arm, in full view of whoever may be looking, unconcerned at others' reactions to such a gesture. Her scent takes on a hint of that wonderful _desire_ again, and he is infinitely glad that they have finally reached their destination.

Rin must have noticed that the usually busy inn is all but deserted. Only a skeleton crew of servants and the owner remains. The vast rooms are empty, and the halls are quiet and still, exactly as he would have it.

"Where is everybody?" Rin asks quietly.

"I wished for us to be alone." He strains. She doesn't quite understand how that translates into the scene in front of her. How he was able to do this. Her questioning look is answered by the innkeeper.

"Sesshomaru-sama, we were unsure which of the rooms you've paid for you wanted prepared, or how many, so we took the liberty of preparing them all, before dismissing the staff on paid leave, just as you requested. Your only servants will be Akishira, and Aoi, the young females you requested for your… _intended_. Akishira will take your Lady to the dressing room and assist her out of her heavy robes and into sleeping attire, if you have no other orders?"

Sesshomaru is pleased at this development, everything has been set up exactly to his specifications, and all is well.

_Yes… all is well_. He tells himself this over and over, his eyes sliding to the side to look at Rin. _She is here. She wants you. She will not back out. She will not reject you. She is yours… she has already said as much. _

He nods his approval of the innkeepers plan. The young servant girl comes forward, and comes to her knees, reaching for the ties at the ankles of his hakama, so she can remove his shoes, before removing Rin's, as is proper. She winces when she sees his clawed toes, but does not hesitate when she brings the warm wet cloth and wipes his feet down. She dries them and is careful when placing the slippers on his feet, not to shred them on his claws. He is impatient, and when she moves to retie his hakama's ankle ties, he commands her to leave them be. She starts at his harsh tone, and even Rin seems surprised, though says nothing.

"Will you or your Lady be requiring a meal for the night?" It is already late, Rin has already eaten with his brother's miko, but this innkeeper is going very far out of his way to please the obviously _very_ wealthy Lord who is patronizing his establishment. Demon or not, his coins are just as gold, if not more so, than any human's, and money talks. Yes, never has a human man refused to take his money.

Sesshomaru turns to Rin, who shakes her head in the negative, still slightly awed by the events unfolding before her eyes. She isn't used to this type of treatment, and it is a little overwhelming for her, but she's taking it in stride, and politely and appropriately saving any questions she has for him until they are alone.

"No. Take her to undress, and then bring her to the largest room at the far end of the inn." He makes a show of giving the air a sniff, "Also, dismiss the young human male from the grounds. I assume from his scent he is the cook, and he will not be needed until morning."

The innkeeper is obviously impressed with his senses, and nods in awe.

He goes to his room, and sits in seiza, allowing the only other servant, another young female, no older than twelve years or so to follow, though her presence is unwelcome, he refrains from growling at her. She is only doing her job, he reminds himself. He can sense her unease in his presence, and smell the scent of fear. Although it is not _terror_, it is still _fear._ He smells it spike before he hears her voice.

"My lord, will you be requiring assistance in removing your outer robes, or a bathing attendant?" It is clear from her tone she is terrified to perform for him what are common duties for one of her station. She has, doubtlessly, assisted many males in undressing, and probably been a bathing attendant for many lords and ladies in the past, however, he is youkai and it is obvious she doesn't want to touch him.

Being alone with a human female who is clearly uneasy with him, and terrified to touch him, sobers him a bit, and his control is renewed somewhat. He must remember that it would never do to elicit such a reaction from Rin, and if he moves too quickly with her, she may well become afraid to touch him as well. If he turns into a mindless, lust driven beast after a mere _kiss_, then how will she _not_ fear mating with him.

The idea of Rin fearing him is a sobering thought and finally his body obeys his commands to relax, though his erection is still present, he is in far better control than he was only moments ago.

He has been undressed countless times by females, human and youkai alike, in his travels. The youkai females did as they were expected, nothing more, nothing less, and it was duty to them and nothing more. Never were there any _inappropriate_ touches, but they did not shy from him. The human females were a different matter. They were always fearful, and made sure that nary a finger came into contact with his flesh. Only silk slipped away in their fingers, and even his hair was avoided.

Never has a human female assisted him in bathing. Despite his bulging coin purse, _all_ had outright refused. One, he can recall, actually lost her employment over it, which was completely unnecessary, because he has always preferred to bath alone, unassisted, even in his own shiro.

"No."

His answer causes relief to wash over this young and clearly terrified girl, and her scent becomes less cloying to him. He notices that when she leaves, kneeling down and sliding the screen door to the side, before turning on her knees, bowing deeply and sliding the shoji closed, she does not leave, instead sitting in seiza in the hallway, and waiting to see if she will be needed later.

He wants to be alone, and with her there he cannot feel as if he is. Her scent and the sounds of her body are too close, so, with an inward sigh he rises, opens the door, and doesn't bother to look down at her as he tells her,

"You will not be needed again until early morning, go and rest." When she hesitates, he realizes why, and reassures her, "Your salary will be paid for the entire night." He reaches in to his haori and pulls out several coins, more than she deserves if he is honest, but he wants her to leave without any further delays or arguments. He reasons this may be the best way to go about getting her to leave quickly.

It is improper that he give her money directly, but his patience is being severely tested and he doesn't want to go back down to the innkeeper and give it to him, risking he will take a 'cut' from it or leave the girl with nothing of his 'tip'. He hands the money to her, insisting,

"Go, rest." She doesn't look up at him, as she nods and whispers her thanks for the opportunity he's given her to have a night off, although she doesn't mention the money, he knows she is really thanking him for giving it to her directly, thus making sure she receives it.

Just as the girl is leaving Rin appears in the hallway, escorted by the other servant girl. She's wearing a plain, white cotton yukata and his first thought is that she should be wearing silk. In his haste, he did not think to have her bring any of the clothing his mother commissioned, but he isn't sure there even _was_ a bathing or sleeping yukata among the items and he realizes he will need to commission a seamstress for the girl. It is unacceptable for her to be his mate and be wearing less than silk. It would reflect poorly on him to not clothe her properly.

He looks to the young servant girl and realizes that he has shown favor for the female who was alone with him… and rumors may spread if he does not show the same favor to this female, who had no such _opportunity_ to _gain_ his favor. It would not do for anyone to misjudge his show of, what could inaccurately be deemed as _kindness_, (it was only impatience with her continued presence, he assures himself), to that female. He must be equally…_kind_ to this female. He reaches into his purse and hands her the same amount of coins he gave to the other female, commanding once again,

"Go, and rest. You will not be needed until morning."

The girl is shocked at receiving money from him directly, but accepts it and nods, informs him a bath will be ready for them in the morning, before scurrying away like some kind of field mouse. He watches her departure with a rueful acceptance, he turns to Rin,

"They fear me." He doesn't know why he has pointed it out. He doesn't know why he felt the need to say it aloud, but the words came without his bidding. There was no hint of regret or sadness, it was merely a statement, but Rin seems to know more of why he said it than he does, and she places a comforting hand on his forearm, no hesitation in _her_ touch.

"They don't know you." It's true, and it must be exactly what he needed to hear, because he releases a breath he didn't know he was holding. His Rin _does_ know him, and has seen him at his most fearsome, fully transformed and battling for his life and hers, and still, not only does she _not_ fear him, she _loves_ him. He is not a disgusting monoke to her, not a nightmare.

_He is her dream come true._

She gently guides him inside and slides the shoji shut behind them. They are alone now, but she doesn't seem nervous, in fact, there is a serenity to her, a soft almost motherly feel to her that is reassuring to him and calms his own unease. Surely they have spent much time alone together before, but tonight is different, the intentions and expectations of the night are clear to them both, but she is neither afraid nor nervous. She seems at peace and accepting. She is exactly what he needs right now, and soothing to his inner youkai.

"May I undress you?" She asks. He hesitates to respond as his eyes are watching her every graceful movement. He hasn't seen her in so little clothing since she was a small child and her curves are calling to his eyes. He's tracing every visible dip and swell beneath the light cotton covering and the loosely tied obi. He's drawn especially to the sweet sloping indentation of her waist and the smooth rounded flare of the ample spread of her hips, which are surprisingly wide for her slight frame and very narrow waist. He is also more than impressed with the very full rounded bottom he can just barely see the cleft in beneath her robe.

His cock throbs as he imagines her bent over, on all fours, with that thick firm rounded ass in his face, her dripping wetness calling to him, his hands at her hips as he drags her to him and spears himself inside her, filling her, and wrapping himself in warm wetness. Plunging endlessly deep inside of her, making her pant, feeling her back against his chest and the flesh of her shoulder between his fangs. As much as he wants to take his time with her, the animal inside wants to _fuck_her into submission. He wants her screaming and moaning and panting beneath him like a wild thing and he drives himself into until he fills her full and the head of cock expands and he _shoots_ searing hot seed into her body. He wants to cover her in his scent and fill her with himself leaving her so thoroughly _marked_ that his claim of ownership can never be disputed, even by youkai with the weakest of noses.

_CALM YOURSELF!_ He commands himself firmly, almost roughly. He takes several deep breathes in and out through his nose. If he doesn't have her soon…

He finally comes to his senses and nods once in acceptance of her request to assist him in disrobing. What would ordinarily be an innocent task performed by a servant for a master takes on a sensual feel as she leads him to the area behind a privacy screen, despite the fact that they are alone. There are stands here to hold kimonos, haori and hakama, though she forgoes them and places her own folded kimono, which has the package from her friend and the strange vial resting on top of it, on the floor before moving to stand in front of him.

He knows she cannot touch the hilt of his demonic swords, so he removes them from his person for her, resting them on a stand which is mounted on the wall.

She reaches for the knot at his waist, and unties the yellow and blue bow to the obi which is only used to hold his swords, not hold closed his clothing. She is looking in his eyes as she does so, searching him, although for what he does not know. She carefully folds the silk as she goes, not allowing it to touch the floor, before she follows it around behind him. She tucks the folded silk in the part still around his waist and he feels her gather the thick length of his hair in her hands, taking the opportunity to run her fingers through it and tug lightly on the strands, before moving it to the side and resting it over his shoulder, allowing her access to the twist of the obi at the small of his back. At feeling her fingers in his hair his head tilts forward, seeking to increase the pleasant pressure on his scalp and a whine… not a growl escapes him.

"Shhhh…relax…" She pauses in undressing him and begins to run her hands over his lower back and slowly up and down his sides.

"You are making that difficult, Rin." His voice is breathy, his baritone strained as his need threatens him once more. Only her soothing aura and confident almost motherly actions are keeping him sane. He has waited _so long_. She pacifies him a moment longer before she comes around to his front again.

Then is his hakama. She knows he is not naked, and will not be 'revealed' to her when she removes them, as his under layers come to his knees, and yet, she still moves slowly and with infinite care and as she moves to untie the knot at his waist she hesitates, looking into his eyes seeking a permission that she no longer needs.

He nods slowly, silently conceding and hoping she will not stop now, which of course she does not.

He is _twitching_ at her fingers being so close to him and his arousal is obvious to her even beneath the three layers of silk and fundoshi, but she maddeningly avoids it, perhaps not wishing to push him over the edge.

His eyes close, the sight of her, so close to him, along with the feel of her nimble fingers might just be enough to drive him over the edge and into mindlessness.

She comes back around to the front to untie the knot actually holding his pants up, and when his hakama slip to the floor, instead of stepping backwards out of them, as is traditional, he steps forward, bringing them closer. She notices this and the sides of her mouth tip upwards in a small, but warm, smile as she stay exactly where she is, keeping them close.

She continues to makes wordless, maddeningly slow circles around him, untying the various knots of his first outer layer, his kimono, obviously intent on removing each article one at a time.

While removing his kimono she makes sure to brush her finger tips over what little skin is exposed. He feels her nails graze the hairs on the back of his neck and he nearly shivers – he fights to remain rigid and allow her to explore him without interruption but her touch is driving him crazy. Her fingertips run softly underneath his sleeve against his forearm before she pulls his long sleeve to his first and intricately patterned knee length garment, which is in truth, neither true kimono nor haori, but was commissioned and designed to his specifications, to allow him to maintain his regal appearance, but be dressed appropriately for battle. He allows it to fall first one side and then the other as she makes her way behind him once again running her fingers from his shoulder to his bicep before coaxing the silk to slip down over his back and into her waiting hands. She hangs it on the stand, and comes around to his front again.

He has only two layers left, the next of which is a kosode with two belts, one at his ribs, and one at the top of his waist. She moves around him untying them both, letting her fingers trace around the barrel of his chest, her fingers feeling the taught musculature and hard planes of his body, before folding the strips of silk and setting them to the side. Most wonderfully of all her small hands flatten against the center of his chest before she slips the tips of her fingers under the 'V' shaped neckline of his final outer layer and the full expanse of her smooth palms comes into contact with the innermost layer of his silks as she runs her hands up and out over his pectoral muscles, his collar bones, and she is forced to lean in closer as her hands make their way over him to his shoulder blades, almost embracing him.

Never has he been undressed in this manner, with a female daring to _touch_ him so freely, and taking such time and pleasure from the experience. It is clear by the soft, reverent look in her eyes that she is carving each of his muscles, dips and ripples, into her memory. She is relishing each touch, every contact point of their bodies, as much as he is. She is slow, and soft and intimate in her attentions, and he may be standing still and silent but he's looking down into her dilated pupils and he knows his eyes are showing his own desire.

With her finally close enough to him that she is on tip toes to reach behind him, and the tips of her nipples brush against his chest, and they _harden_ against his chest, he finds it impossible to stand still and passive against her attentions any longer. Her thumbs dig in to the hallows near his collar bone as her fingers tighten and she makes a small *squeek* of surprise as he lets the silken layer fall forgotten to the floor and drags her body against his.

He growls softly, sending vibrations through her body, and causing a shiver of delight and further hardening of her nipples.

"Rin." He growls.

Her breathing increases and she looks up at him,

"Ummm… Maybe we should lay down?" she suggests moving away from him, she stops on her way to the futon at the small table against the wall, and takes two chopsticks off of it, using them to twist her hair up into a loose style and pinning it in place. It is highly inappropriate that she do so, and she notices the disapproving glare being sent her way. She then grabs the small vial from her friend, she knows he will not last much longer, before his need gives way and in his current state she thinks it is not such a terrible idea to have a pain reducing agent handy. She responds, over her shoulder,

"Well I don't have any of my combs with me, and I don't want my hair in the way! Besides, there is no one here to see me but you!"

The glare turns to acceptance and then sparkles with amusement only she can see. He deadpans, in his most serious tone,

"This Sesshomaru is merely concerned the other humans will think I mean to eat you. It has been the assumption on more than one occasion."

Rin breaks out into a full smile then, knowing that, while what he says is true, both humans and demons alike have more than once mistook her for a snack, he is, once again…_teasing_. Rarely is he ever in such a good mood, and only ever with her, when they are alone.

*Flash back*

Thirteen year old Rin looked at him in amazement. Never, in all the time she'd known him had his stomach…_growled_. He was…_hungry???_

She giggled while he looked away, attempting to be bored with her and failing miserably.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Your stomach just growled! When was the last time you ate?"

In truth it had been many weeks since his last meal, he was recently… disturbed and had forgotten to eat for quite some time.

He was only beginning to have _those_ feelings for Rin, and, after his last visit, he'd had - quite an elicit - dream about the girl. It had disturbed him so much he'd spent the last several weeks obsessing over it. He'd refused to sleep, and hadn't eaten. When the time came for his next scheduled visit with Rin, he had had to talk himself into it, thinking on how she would 'worry' and be 'disappointed' if he failed to show. Now that he was back in the presence of the object of his obsession it was both wonderful and horrible as she remained blissfully unaware of his secret.

He looked at her then,

"You are correct, this Sesshomaru has neglected his own needs as of late. Perhaps you might know a local village child who would not be missed?"

She'd looked at him stupidly for a full minute, before breaking out laughing so hard she rolled on the forest floor and got dirt and leaves all over the new silk kimono he had brought to her. Oddly enough, he could not even find it within himself to be annoyed at her childish behavior.

"Sesshomaru-sama! You're funny when you joke! You should do it more often! But seriously… if you're hungry… there's this one girl… her name is Tsuki and I _hate_ her! She's so mean and she calls me names and pulls my hair all the time. You can eat her if you want, Rin won't mind!" The girl continued to smile as she looked up at him from the ground.

The corner of his lip lifted minutely. Her response was pleasing to him, though he wasn't sure why, he'd been concerned. The moment he realized his sarcastic response to her insistent prodding over the state of his health, he had regretted it, fearing he may finally have frightened her.

Of course, she'd only laughed.

Sesshomaru-sama didn't eat human food, _or_ humans _for_ food… at least not anymore.

*End Flashback*

Rin scoffs at him, and replies back, just as seriously,

"Sesshomaru, obviously you know _nothing_ about youkia. They are _animals_ and certainly do _not_ use chopsticks. They rip limbs from still living humans and force the poor victims to watch as they rip the flesh from bones with only their fangs… honestly… don't you know anything?"

She says all this while slowly sauntering to the futon, and he ignores her little joke, his tension growing the closer she gets to the place where he is to claim her. He silently follows behind her like some sort of lost puppy dog, silent questions and fears racing through his mind.

_It is time. _

She lays down on the futon rolled on her side, and pats the side next to her. He starts, realizing he is only staring down at her stupidly. A quick nod of acknowledgement and he lies down next to her, mirroring her position. She scoots closer to him bringing her hand up to his cheek, running her thumb over his cheek stripes.

He reaches for the tie at his waist, and loosens it, pulling his final layer over his shoulder, lifting up slightly and shrugging out of it. He watches as her gaze drifts downward, her eyes burning a path across his chest, and down his abdominals. Just as she comes to rest on his hips, she pauses, letting her hand travel down his side. She has never before seen the violet stripes that adorn his hip bones and she seems fascinated with them. She runs her fingers lightly over the vivid markings, watching in awe as he indulges her and allows his youkai to surface only slightly, making them go jagged under her touch.

When he decides he can take no more of her explorations, he finally reaches forward, for the tie at her waist.

"May I?" The girl nods her assent, and he purposely keeps his eyes glued to the tie as he undoes it, and she shrugs the shoulder of her garmet down, revealing a breast.

He notices her tension as he carefully peals back the layer and tosses it gently over her hip. The rest of the garment pools to the futon, leaving her bare but for the arm she is resting on.

His eyes sweep over her, and he's hot and hungry. He races to come up with words to describe her. She is… ample. The best word for it. Not fat, but very short and very rounded. She has thick hips, meaty soft thighs, large for her frame breasts, with dark nipples. The contrast between the tiny expanse that is her waist and the almost cartoonishly pronounced flare of her hips pleases him greatly. She is the type of woman who's body was _made_ for childbearing. He loves that he cannot see a single rib or bone anywhere. She has been well fed, and her entire body pronounces wordlessly of her fertility.

_Soft._

She is so soft and thick and voluptuous. He remembers once that she had bemoaned the fact that, no matter how hard she practiced or trained (from what his brother has told him she's actually quite good with both a sword and a bow, as well as throwing daggers) she could never have the lithe, well muscled form of her trainers, the female tijiya and his brother's miko.

He is grateful for it. Her form is perfect to his eyes.

He wants to touch all of her at once, and his indecision on where to put his hands first leaves him immobile for long moments. He's never been in this position before, with a female who will not only allow his touch, but welcome it, and he finds it overwhelming. The freedom to do as he pleases with her is making his head spin. What to do first?

"Uhhh… Sesshomaru?" His Rin is becoming more and more nervous under the weight of his prolonged gaze, but he was so lost that he didn't notice. His head snaps up to her face when he hears her voice, embarrassed to be caught staring. He thinks back to if he's ever seen a woman totally naked before? Hmmm perhaps when he was younger and spied on some of his female servants bathing, but never anyone who _knew_ that he was looking.

In answer to her unasked question he reaches out and pulls her face to him. She gasps as his mouth comes to hers, and there is no pretense of hesitation in his kiss now. He forgets to be mindful of his fangs and they graze her lower lip, drawing a minute amount of blood, but she ignores it and slides her hands to back of his neck.

He, on the other hand, pulls back, horrified at what he's done. The night has barely begun and he has…_harmed_ her. He's breathing heavily, and he looks away, shamed by his lack of control. This more than anything sobers him. He _lost control_, for even a moment, and it was _Rin_ who paid the price.

"Rin… this Sesshomaru… I…"

She grabs his face, forcing his eyes to hers, and once again running her thumb pads against his cheek stripes.

"Don't be." She responds as if he's said he's sorry, which he is, but he hasn't. With her he hasn't needed to. She knows.

She pulls him down and roughly and shoves her tongue in his mouth deeply and forcefully. She's seeking to make him forget his 'transgression' by telling him without words that she _doesn't care_, and she _wants him_ and _nothing_ can change that.

He moans in absolute delight at her slight domination of him, as it shows just how badly she wants him.

Never has he been _wanted_ before, and it is an overwhelming sensation, even for him. Rather than the wave of arrogance he should naturally feel at being so desired, he finds himself… humbled for some unknown reason. He wants to justify her want of him and give her pleasures that leave her as mindless as she's leaving him. It may be an impossible goal for him, in his current state… she is… more than his senses can handle.

Her minty flavor and the cloud of musky perfumed air surrounds him, engulfs him, and she succeeds in her attempt to pacify his ego and assuage his guilt, if only because he's driven to mindless distraction.

He rolls himself on top of her and props himself up on his elbows, she instinctively spreads her legs to allow him a place to settle. He can feel the texture of the hair at the apex of her thighs against the silk fundoshi he's still wearing. He grinds into her unconsciously and she moans into the kiss, the sweet friction driving them both on.

He moves his mouth to her throat, lapping at the taste of her salted skin like the dog he is. He hears each keening whine from her throat as she tilts her head to allow him better access.

"My ear…" she whispers as quietly as she can while still articulating, mindful of his hearing, "nibble on my ear…"

Already she's voicing what she'd _like_ him to do, and he's both relieved and grateful at her lack of shyness. He _needs_ the instruction, and she's giving it to him without his having to _ask_ for it. Perhaps she has realized his inexperience with mating or perhaps she only thinks he doesn't know much about _human_ women, but either way, he knows he must admit his virginity to her at some point this night, it will only be fair to her, to know of his inexperience. He wonders if she'll think less of him for it?

He moves to her ear to follow her instructions, but somehow, miraculously finds the clarity of thought to remind her,

"Rin, my fangs." He's whispering, and panting, and though to anyone else his voice would sound as if he is impassive and simply observing that he does, in fact, have fangs, she can hear the question and concern in his voice.

She tugs his hair hard enough to send the message and her hips still, as do his. He pulls back to look at her, his expression soft, his worry etched in his eyebrows and the downward turn to his lips. What she says next manages to allay many of his worries,

"Sesshomaru, I'm going to say this _one time_ this night… I _am not afraid to be with you_ and, I will not break if you're a bit rough with me. Even humans bite and scratch and bleed and scream and howl… it's natural. You're a demon, I don't expect you to be overly gentle and I'll be okay. Just please, relax, and stop holding back so much koibito!" She whispers fervently, begging him to enjoy himself and not to worry so much on her behalf.

Koibito… she has called him… koibito. _Her lover. _

"Now," she giggles, breaking the nervous tension, "nibble on my weak human ears with your big scary demon fangs!" He gives her a predatory smirk, allowing himself to relax at her pleadings and bends forward, giving her a peck on her lips.

"If that is your wish, I shall be obligated to fulfill it." He bends his mouth to her ear, going to work, still careful, but infinitely more confident in his actions.

Within minutes the two are lost in each other once more, he is nibbling and lapping and tracing the shell of her ear with his lips and tongue and fangs. His hips are grinding against her once again and she has tilted her pelvis upwards pressing herself against him to meet each rotation.

The sensations prickling along his shaft, even against the silk are building so quickly he can't control it. He's so incredibly _hard_ and he can feel the pre-cum leaking from the tip of his fully engorged member. He has to stop now or he _will_ release, before he ever gets anywhere near being inside of her.

Sliding his body down, moving his hips safely out of reach of her tourtourous movements against him, he brings his lips to one dark nipple. He closes his mouth around the tiny bud, worrying it with his teeth cautiously for a moment before pulling back to admire his work.

Rin's back has arched, pushing her body towards him, and he takes the silent invitation to heart, his hands coming up to encompass her soft round mounds and push them together. He goes back and forth, giving intimate attention to each nipple, as the girl beneath him squirms and moans and sighs under his still somewhat awkward ministrations.

While she is making the most delightful noises, she has yet to actually articulate any verbal praise and he wonders self consciously if he's pleasing her correctly, deciding to be direct he asks,

"Does this… please you?"

Her hands move to trace the shell of his pointed ears, sending shivers from the top of his head all along the length of his spine, and goosebumps rise on his skin.

"hai… it feels wonderful, anata." He allows himself a small smile of satisfaction at her words, smirking against her heated and flushed skin. He finally decides after a long moment more to continue onward in his task, and he slide down her body further, stopping to graze the underside of her breast with his fang, just for good measure.

He sees her shiver at that, and mentally catalogs the move for future endevors.

His tongue comes out to drag down the expanse of her midsection, pausing at her belly buttion to swirl and dip. He notices her slight giggle and looks up in question,

"Your fur," she giggles a bit more, "it's tickling my thigh."

He looks down to see that his mokomoko has unconsciously wrapped itself around the girl's thigh and is stroking lightly. He hadn't even noticed.

He immediately pulls it back, and the girl gives a small pout.

"I was… kind of enjoying that…" she pouts further.

He replaces the fur and this time purposefully moves its length up and down her outer thigh, feeling her leg fall open towards the unique touch. He'd been consciously attempting to keep his fur out of the way, behind him or off to the side, and away from the girl's body, as the inhuman touch may have seemed… odd to her, but it seems she enjoys this part of his body as much as every other part. An idea strikes him then…

He disengages mokomoko from her thigh and sends it trailing upwards, over her stomach and to her breasts. He allows the tip of it to twitch and writhe across her sensitive nipples and breasts, and her hands come up to stoke his sensitive demon appendage. He can feel each pass of her small fingers through the soft fur as she clutches it to her chest.

"Ummmmmmmm." She moans and her legs come up to rub at his sides, silky friction across his skin, raising his goose bumps anew.

While he has her distracted with mokomoko, he continues his journey southward towards the source of her ever building scent… the one he simply _must _get a taste of.


	10. The Main Event

**I do not own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru or Rin… I just write stories about them… cuz I have nothing better to do.**

**A/N: So here it is… the long awaited chapter 11 (aka the LEMON) of Bound For Tomorrow: Sesshomaru and Rin.**

**On another note, I REPOSTED the WHOLE story, as ONE story, (now the first chapter is not a oneshot, and Bound For Tomorrow 2:Shard of the Meidou tama is no more… those chapters were simply added to Bound For Tommorow:Sesshomaru and Rin. **

**If you have the Bound for Tomorrow 2 on your alerts, then PLEASE, switch it over to the REPOSTED version… so you don't miss any updates.**

**Hope you enjoy this! 3 Ravyn Skye…**

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Reaching her nest of curls, he brought his arms down, gripping each of her thighs. He laid them over his shoulders as he lowered his chest to floor. When he had positioned her legs just so, he brought his thumbs up between them, spreading her nether lips, while pulling her apart gently, allowing him to gaze upon her sex.

_Mine… all mine…_

He surveyed her body with hungry eyes and a predatory smirk. This was _his_… _She_ was _his;_ to enjoy, to touch, to scent, to taste, to fill, and pump and hump and push his aching arousal into.

_Whenever I please_…

Yes, whenever he desired, provided she indicated she was willing, however he hoped she might more than simply oblige him. He wanted her not _merely willing, _but also _eager_ for his touch. He wanted _her_ to want _him_ as well, and he was certain if his performance tonight was satisfactory, that that would be the case. She would _desire_ to lay with him, no mate of his would look upon their couplings as merely _duty_ or _obligation_; no, his mate would _crave_ him, as much as he _craved_ her.

Never again would he feel the stinging shame of pumping himself into his own hand as he fantasized about having a female, knowing full well that there were no potential mates in his immediate future. He would not taste the bitter bile that always came with the realization that he was _desired_ by no one, his touch _never_ openly and eagerly received.

He, Sesshomaru, had a mate now, a _partner_ in carnal pleasure of the flesh with whom he could indulge. Oh! And he _intended _to indulge… both his and her at whim, with no shame. He would no longer suffer the indignity of pumping himself to a hallow climax that only served to remind him of his solitude. Sesshomaru rarely pleasured himself because the moment of physical pleasure had never been worth the feelings of loneliness that inevitably followed his brief climax.

Instead, he'd channeled his energies elsewhere or at least attempted to. Battle became an outlet, and owning powerful swords became a balm to soothe his wounded ego. His insecurities revolving around his father's love, his mother's acceptance and the constant _doubt_ both seemed to have in his abilities, we carefully hidden beneath a cool façade and pompous empty male-posturing. He always proclaimed his superiority, yet questioned time and time again _why_ it was that his father had seemed to favor the younger sibling, which had been nothing but a newly whelped pup. Did his father truly hate him so much? Was he so sorely lacking? So unworthy of the love of the demon he'd spent his life worshiping? What made him so terrible that a half-blood pup whom the Inu no Taisho had never even had the opportunity to get to know, worth so much more to his father than Sesshomaru?

Had it been _him_ in danger… would his father have willing given his life to save He, _Sesshomaru?_

Somehow… he had his doubts…

But none of that mattered now. _Now,_ he was wanted. _Now_, he was desired. _Now _he had someone who believed in him; had never found him lacking, despite his failures to her… Rin was willing to _be_ with him, in every sense of the word, _for only the reason of loving him_.

He was no longer alone, and no longer was there any reason to feel… _frustrated_… by a lack of intimacy and contact.

Inuyasha had only once dared to comment that Sesshomaru might not be such an 'asshole', (as his brash otouto had so colorfully phrased his brother's frustrated, easily insulted personality and overly violent tendencies), if only he'd get a little 'female attention' once in awhile.

Sesshomaru had promptly beaten the hanyou soundly.

However, when Sesshomaru had stalked off in a flurry of silk and ruffled fur, he later admitted, if only to himself, that perhaps his little brother had a point. He'd even thought about attempting to find a willing female, one who he would make an attempt to allay their fears enough to get past that disgusting scent, if only to relieve himself of his virginity. Usually he was able to use logic and killing things to overcome these urges, but... he was only a male. Not simply a male, but a male teenaged demon in his sexual prime, who was not having any sort of sex. Their were many solitary nights that his frustration and resentment for his situation led to violence, and, his energy spent, a kind of quiet rueful acceptance usually followed these deadly outbursts, _but_ there had been a single moment of weakness… which was nearly his, _and Rin's_, (who, while obviously a female, who obviously loved him, was still a child at the time, and, most assuredly _not_ a suitable partner for the types of activities he craved) ultimate downfall.

On the single occasion he'd been desperate enough to consider perhaps making use of one of the concubines, whom had been his father's, and still resided at the shiro in the clouds, (after he was finished strengthening his sword of course), the mood had been quite ruined when his mother had gone and unleashed a hell hound that ate his little girl.

Since that day, whenever he thought of taking another female, Rin's face had flashed in his mind. Sesshomaru remembered how his being distracted with thoughts of mating had led to his carelessness and how Rin had almost paid the ultimate price.

As his feelings for the girl changed hue over the years, he realized hers was the only female company he desired and… he had waited_ hundreds _of years… what was a few more, if it meant that perhaps he would be rewarded with Rin as a mate? Of course, these admissions had been made to himself slowly with much of the knowledge remaining just below his conscious awareness, but then…

Jaken had died and he was even more alone than ever. Something inside him had finally, snapped, and…

Sesshomaru had _ached_ for Rin.

Yes, physically and emotionally, he wished for no other at his side but _her. _He wanted to be with _no one_ else, only _her, __**only Rin**_**.**

_His Rin._

He wished for no other female's scent on his person, no other woman to touch his skin, no other was worthy to learn his secrets, know him on such an intimate level. He was _glad_ he had not wasted his time, and bedded a mere whore.

_Now, yes __**now**_**, **in this moment that her and her scent was thick and her skin was soft and her sounds were naught but inarticulate mewls of longing and delight… Sesshomaru could hardly contain himself, feeling himself salivate at the thought that he was moments away from tasting her. He knew he'd made the correct decision in waiting; it had definitely been worth it.

Rinhad been _worth_ waiting for.

Sesshomaru continued to survey her glistening sex, his new acquired territory, and took his time, despite his eagerness. He'd never seen a woman's intimate parts up close before.

He sought out the tiny pink 'bud' his brother had described, locating it easily, at the apex of her flushed wet folds. He was pleased to see it standing proudly, as Inuyasha had explained to him that such a thing indicated a very high level of arousal in her. Her 'opening' was not so easy to detect. He could see nowhere on her where there was a 'hole,' perhaps he would need to explore a bit…

Yes… _explore her…_ using his tongue.

His eyes danced and flickered with predatory delight.

This was his _right_, earned after years of devotion ardent protection, infinite concern, patience he did not always feel and a covert attention to the details of her care and…

This was also her desire.

He pressed his nose against her, sniffing rapidly before inhaling deeply, taking in the intoxicating scent of her arousal, and delighting in her gasp and the throaty moan she released.

"Sesshomaru," his beautiful and now impatient female was whispering, "_pleeeaaassseee."_

He shook his head back and forth roughly and rapidly, much like the dog he was, using his nose to stimulate her bundle of nerves. The action had the effect of spreading her resulting wetness, covering his face in her scent laden juices, and Sesshomaru was _loving it_.

His tongue came out and to lap at her lightly a few times, before he bravely pushed out with more force, blindly searching for the place where her body would yield, and he could slip his tongue inside her. He was rewarded nearly immediately, as he felt his long rough appendage be all but _sucked_ into her tight passage. A triumphant smirk graced his features as her inner walls undulated around the muscle he'd entered her with, and a groan made it to his pointed ears. Still experimenting he curled his tongue pressing while pulling out of her… _searching… _ he it then, a rough and slightly raised lumpy place inside her, that when he made contact, she bucked her hips up and squeaked in pleasured surprise.

_This must be the 'spot' inside her that Inuyasha described, the place I must focus my attentions on. _

He pressed against it several more times, curling his tongue, and massaging it, twisting and putting as much pressure as his position and the strength of his tongue allowed. He was rewarded for his efforts when he felt a warm gush of fresh liquid coat his tongue seep onto his lips. Rin's hips pressed into his face and stilled, mere moments later her thighs began to shake, and she rocks her hips forward to give him easier access to her moist and delicious tight passage.

"Ooooh! Maaahhh-rooooo!" she moans, and he isn't sure if she's saying his actions are 'perfect' or if she's shortening his name, but either way her husky tone spurs him on, as do her next words of encouragement, "Soooooo Guuuuuuudddddd!" the words come out with a groan, and his Rin is panting harshly.

Gods! How badly he needs to be inside of her! He would give his immortal life, at this point, if only he could thrust himself within that tight wet sheathe that is sucking his tongue deeper inside with every contraction of her inner muscles.

With inhuman speed the taiyoukai reaches down and slices the fundoshi from his loins, pressing his own throbbing arousal into the futon. His own hips grinding with urgent need, he knows he must prepare her further for his immanent invasion.

He retracted his tongue to replace it with a single finger, gently teasing his way inside, and once sheathed, curling it to hit that most sensitive spot within her, refocusing his oral efforts on teasing the pink bud he knows will also drive her toward climax. He delights in the way Rin begins to grind her hips against his hand, pushing his finger deeper within into her welcoming body. He notes that although she is untouched she has no barrier to bar his way. He supposes it was lost to one of the countless physical traumas of her childhood, or perhaps to her training in the various weapons he knows her to be proficient in. He has heard such a thing is common among female samurai. In a way, he is grateful for her lack of maidenhead, as it will make this experience far less uncomfortable for her. He continues to pump and lick her, hearing her gasp and cry out,

"Mooorree… please… more…I need… mooooooooorrrrrrreeee."

His eyes begin to bleed to red and he closes them, growling, not wishing for her to see his reaction to her not-so-innocent pleadings. He adds a second finger, angling it so that with each pump of his hand into her, he presses against her sweet spot. When her juices gush again, he adds a third finger twisting and spreading and wiggling; stretching her slowly.

Sesshomaru's heavy cock is twitching in anticipation of feeling the oh-so-tight velvety slickness that is enveloping his fingers around his aching member. Rin is humping against him roughly now and he feels her fingers twine in his hair and hold his head down, insistently. Rin has wordlessly demanded he continue, and he feels her ankles cross behind his back, resting on his shoulder blades, but also pushing him slightly forward.

"Please… harder… faster and…" she cuts herself off, blushing at the realization of her own demands, and how she is holding him to her with both her hands and her legs, and how wantonly her hips are raised, pressing her sex into his face.

Her demonic lover looks up at her, and she throws her head back, unable to meet his eyes, but, unknowingly pleasing him with the submissive baring of her throat, questioning,

"And?"

Rin continues to blush and look away, embarrassed beyond all belief at her over-enthusiastic reactions. Perhaps she should not be so demanding… he may take instruction as an insult, as if she is saying he does not know what he's doing?

"I'm sorry…" She whispers into the dark, still staring at the ceiling.

Sesshomaru growls, ceasing his ministrations momentarily, earning a whimper from her, and he nips at her inner thigh, a slight warning.

"Do not hold back. I wish to know how best to please you," he demands in his authoritative tone.

"Harder… faster… and, uh… suck…" she admits, still blushing, with almost a question in her tone.

Immediately he redoubles his efforts, closing his lips around her bud, and suckling gently, while thrusting his fingers in and out of her faster, and slightly harder than before, letting loose a light growl, indicative of his fervent wish to please her, but also his own arrousal.

"Kami-sama!" The girl beneath him cries out to gods, ironic considering her choice in lover. Her thighs quake harder than before… and that's when he feels it…

Her muscles start to contract and ripple, squeezing and sucking his fingers as warm musky-sweet smelling juices _pour_ out of her, gushing over his hand and her hips rise and fall in short staccato thrusts. It is only his sensitive nose that can distinguish between this gush and a less… pleasant one, but her natural fluid scents and tastes of only pure feminine musk. Is this… gushing… usual? He must assume it is, for he has no other experience to compare it to, however, while he was aware females become slick when aroused, to ease entrance, he never imagined anything like this…

_Gods… she smells… she tastes… ye GODS! So FUCKING good!_

_His coarse inner dialog, so unusual for him surprises him, but there is simply no other way to accurately convey how he feels about the female below him. He's awed at how much something so natural and common can be so… incredible._

He can nearly _feel_ her wrapped around his member, doing that same squeezing sucking, gushing, and his own hips grind roughly into the futon below him, the cool silk rubbing against his overly sensitive heated shaft and head, his foreskin slipping over his ridge as he moves, stimulating his oft-neglected maleness.

Before the masculine smugness of causing her orgasm can settle in, he realizes with a sort of panic that he can feel pre-cum leaking from his tip and his testicles are already tightening…

_Damn it!_

In a blur of motion, he is on top of her, his slim hips between her thighs and the tip of his member pressed against her opening. The girl is momentarily startled and bucks up, rubbing herself against him and he's lost. His orgasm is imminent and he isn't even inside of her yet.

Without preamble, he pushes himself inside her quickly, wishing with all his being to feel her sheathed around him, if only for an instant. His Rin winces against his abrupt invasion, but does not make any attempt to stop or slow his invasion of her body. No, instead, she sucks in a breath, and spreads her legs further to accommodate him.

The powerful taiyoukai manages only three rough pumps before he's spent, and he buries his face against her neck, sinking his fangs into her neck to mark her, a part of him wondering if she still wishes to be his after his disappointing display… He remains there, to hide his shame in coming so quickly… He cannot look her in the eye after his… failure… His orgasm had begun before he was sheathed and because of that he hasn't even knotted inside her. He's… failed, so utterly.

He wants to groan in disappointment and frustration, but remains silent, his body still shaking, though if it's the after effects of his climax or a shudder of disgust with himself, he can not say.

After a long moment, he makes to move, to lift himself off of her, relieve her of the burden of his weight… but… she wraps her legs around him, halting his retreat. Rin pulls him down again, holding the back of his head, pressing him back into to her neck, and swiping her fingers through his hair.

"Not yet," she whispers.

He doesn't understand. Surely she must know that he has already released? Mustering the fortitude to admit his failure to her, he says,

"Rin… I have… already…" He feels her grip on him tighten, as though she fears he will pull away, despite her wish for him to remain. Her weak human hold is incapable of stopping him should he choose to refuse her.

"I know. I just… I want to hold you, just _feel_ you inside me… please… just a little longer?"

He cannot deny her puzzling request, not after he has failed her so horribly. The girl could have asked _anything_ of him, in this moment, and if it meant redemption in her eyes he would have granted it. He nods against her neck and settles back down, lying somewhat stiffly, and feeling very awkward.

"I love you, so much…" He hears her whisper, feels her lips move against the tip of his ear.

Her words, which should be comforting, only serve to twist the knife. How can she love him, praise him, reward him after this? He has _hurt_ her. He lost control and his own selfish need overcame him. He pushed himself into her quickly, causing her discomfort, and did not even grant her a moment to adjust to him, before pumping himself in and out of her roughly, in short sharp strokes. He couldn't even last long enough for her to overcome the discomfort and find pleasure in their mating.

He's so _angry_ at himself. He gives a little growl, and replies to her harshly, though it is not directed at her, "I have failed," His tone has it's usual icy edge, a sharpness and clarity of baritone that sends fear straight to the heart of an enemy. It is a tone he has _never_ used with _her_ before, save for their first encounter…

"How is it you can 'love' he who caused you pain where there should have been pleasure, only selfishly taking his own?"

He feels her stiffen beneath him, and she tugs on his hair only hard enough to lift his head so he can look her in the eye.

"What are you talking about?" She seems surprised, though he can't imagine why she would be.

"I will not repeat myself." He will not reiterate his failures, not to her, not to _anyone_.

Rin sighs, shaking her head, and pushing him down against her once more.

"Oh, Sesshomaru… you're always so hard on yourself, don't you know how _incredible_ that was for me? I mean… gods… your mouth… your _tongue_… ye gods… I've never felt anything like that!" Unconsciously her hips wriggle, remembering her orgasm. "Besides, who says I'm done with you? We have _hours_ more before daylight and I don't know about _you_, but _I_ intend to make good use of them. I've been waiting years for the opportunity to be with you, and I don't intend to let you off so easily…"

At her words, he's raised his head, looking at her curiously, one eyebrow raised, he questions her, anger dissipates and amusement sneaks into his tone

"Oh? And what plans might you have for this Sesshomaru?" Her words, as usual have been exactly what he needed to hear, and his previous anger is forgotten, as he is curious what it is she may be thinking. Not only is he curious, he _cares_ what it is she may require of him.

Rin trails a finger tip over the point of his ear, and brings her lips to his shell, mouthing without even whispering, knowing he'll still hear her words,

"I intend to taste my mate…"

He groans at the thought, then pushes himself up on his arms, he looks down at her softly, his hair falling in a silken curtain around them, before he leans forward to capture her lips with his own. Mindful of his fangs he kisses her deeply, gratitude from the depths of his heart expressed in his kiss.

When he breaks apart to let her breathe, she smiles widely, and her mirth and joy sparkles in her mud-colored depths as she wraps her arms around his neck, giving an amused chuckle.

"Now… that's more like it!"

She pushes him off of her, with small hands splayed across his chest, and coaxes him to lay on his back. Rin boldly climbs on top of him, straddling his waist, leaning down and foreword to attack his mouth with her own, her own hair whispering across his body as it falls forward. Her hands run over his biceps, squeeze his shoulders, slide down his pectoral muscles until her nails drag lightly across his small pink nipples, raising goose bumps on his skin. The girl brings a hand up to brush his bangs back, leaning foreword and swiping her lips across the moon on his brow. Her breasts hang right before his eyes but he restrains himself, instead, he reaches for her narrow waist, settling his hands on her hips for a moment, before bringing them down to her full soft bottom, cupping, kneading, and squeezing her posterior.

Rin palms Sesshomaru's cheek and trails her other hand down between their bodies, gripping his rapidly hardening member. His mate strokes him up and down, pulling his foreskin over the head of his cock, brushing the tip with her thumb, and smoothing her small hand all the way down to tease his sack with her fingertips.

It seems she enjoys exploring and experimenting with him, as much as he did her.

"Now…" She says huskily, "where were we?" she chuckles softly, and begins trailing kisses along his jaw, down his neck and over his chest.

Rin slid her body down against his, her sex briefly coming into contact with his, as a groan escapes the very depth of his throat. Never has he been… enjoyed… in such a way, and it is arousing enough to have him fully erect again within mere minutes.

Instead of sheathing him within her, she continues her downward journey. She swirls her tongue in his belly button, nipping slightly with playful abandon, then traces his pleasure trail and lower abdominal ridges with her tongue and lips, before coming to rest right above his arousal, which is again HOT and HARD and THROBBING.

He can feel her warm breath ghost against the tip of his member, and his cock jumps, making her giggle.

He growls slightly, and she looks up, wide eyed… pretending to be surprised. Rin's features shift from wide-eyed and innocent to a devilish smirk, and he feels her warm soft tongue glide over the tip of him, and his head falls back, his eyes snap shut and he knows…

_It's going to be a long and pleasurable night._


	11. Chosen morning sex!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA, RIN, SESSHOMARU OR ANY OTHER OF MY NON-OCs – So basically – nothing in this chapter is mine and I make no money. My only payment comes in the form of knowing others enjoy my stories.

A/N: Long awaited I know – but now that I've definitely decided where I'm going next – the chapters should come with somewhat more frequency. Review if you feel like it.

Sesshomaru lay awake, unable to sleep. For hours he listened to Rin's heart beat, memorized her breathing, and felt the small twitches her body made as she dreamed. Inevitably he propped himself up to gaze over her shoulders and watched her chest move in rhythm with her deep and even inhales and exhales, and could not look away.

His eyes traced the outline she made, sleeping on her side. The round top of her dark head, the dip into her neck, the sharp incline to her shoulders, the way her ribs tapered down until the delicate curve of her tiny waist and the pronounced flair of her hip. All these smooth lines leading to rounded thighs and slightly bend knees, well shaped calves and small delicate ankles. Her feet, roughened from years of shoe-less travel called to him, the only part of her body that was not perfectly _soft_, but the imperfection only adding to her overall beauty.

The sun had barely begun to peak over the horizon when the internal battle began. _Should he wake her? Would she be angry? How long did humans need to sleep, anyway? Would it be selfish to wake her? Was he being too demanding? _

Deciding against waking her, there was a new slippery slope to slide. _Would it be wrong to touch her? She is my mate, mine… but, would it be violation to touch her in her sleep? Would she think me perverted, be disgusted with my inability to restrain myself? Perhaps she would find it endearing, that I could not resist her even while she slumbers? Would it be molesting her? Taking advantage? She is mine… but…_

Despite his inner dialog, his hand burned to touch her skin once more and, losing the battle with himself the pad of his thumb ghosted across her nipple. Never had he found himself so _fascinated_ with a woman's breast before. They were always thought of as…_functional._ For food, to nourish pups, not for his own perverse…_enjoyment._

Now, he could not help but to stare, and when the sleeping girl had no reaction to his touching her nipple, he became bolder, lightly curving his palm around the underside of the soft full mound of her breast, allowing the barest hint of its weight to rest on his hand. Still, she did not stir.

He became hyper-focused on his hand, the breast he cradled, and allowed his thumb to move teasingly over the nipple, and, even in her sleep, it hardened against his light touch. He was unaware of the low smooth pleased sounding growl in his chest as he continued to fondle his new mate. The world faded away until nothing but the sight of his hand on her existed, and he missed the increase in her heart rate…

A small smile curved her lips and, without opening her eyes Rin murmured contentedly, "Enjoying yourself?"

Sesshomaru snatched his had back so fast it was a blur, embarrassed to be caught manhandling the girl in her sleep, and, while his features remained stoic, he quickly looked away, like a guilty child caught stealing a sticky sweet roll, he could not face his accuser.

Rin pouted, and finally turned over to face her molester. Her eyes drifted lazily open and her bottom lip came out in just a hint of exaggeration.

Mistaking her look for one of displeasure, Sesshomaru made to lower himself to apologize… something that he had a feeling he may need to get more used to doing, if what other mated males said held any truth.

"Gome-"

His eyes widened when Rin jerked her head up and kissed him quickly on the lips, silencing his apology, "Why did you stop?" she whispered huskily, reaching for his hand and moving it back to her breast. As if by instinct he was immediately again kneading and massaging. Sesshomaru pulled back to look her in the eye as he answered blandly,

"You were asleep." He stated as if this should be the obvious answer to her question. What he was doing was clearly _wrong_, even if he could not have explained _why_ it was wrong.

"But what a wonderful way to wake up…" Rin murmured, pressing her body close to his once again and snuggling against him, forcing his hand away from her breast and to her back, where he trailed down, following the curve of her behind and coming back up to linger at the tip of her tail bone. _How odd it must be… to never have experienced having a tail… How are humans able to keep such balance, never having known a proper counter weight?_

"What is it like…" He asked, before he could stop himself, before he could think to _not_ remind Rin that he was _not_ human at all… despite this forms appearance.

For some reason he could not determine he was not very keen on the idea of making her think of him in his _true_ form at the moment. _Of course_ she knew what he was… she'd seen him semi-transformed more times than he could recall and seen his true form on a handful of occasions, but he was suddenly very self conscious of the fact that he was _a dog._

Never had such a thing ever been a question in his mind. He was not human, he was a _dog._ If one had asked him to identify himself there would never have been shame in the word '_Inu'_ coming before '_youkai'_… it was as simple as saying he was male. Quite the opposite actually, he had always _abhorred_ humans, never wanted to be like them in any way, and yet now that his mate was a different species than he was it was suddenly more…_obvious_ to him exactly _what_ he was. He was somehow _more_ _aware_ of himself than he ever had been before.

Ironically, mokomoko began to twitch unconsciously, and Rin noticed, thinking it may have been a reaction to her weight having been upon it for so long and she shifted to allow him to remove her 'pillow' if he chose, when he didn't Rin asked, "Sesshomaru, am I uncomfortable on your fur?"

Sesshomaru snatched the fur back and moved it once again behind his shoulder. He did so so quickly that Rin was left to stare in awe. Had she said something wrong?

"Se-Sesshomaru-sama?" Seeing the clouded far away look in his eyes and the slight furrow to his brow Rin was suddenly very unsure of things… She was already beginning to feel the affects of their bonding mark and what she could tell of his emotions was…_uncertainty._ Never had he seemed to second guess himself, although, she supposed that, until now, she had no way of knowing if this was typical for him or not… his face betrayed nothing, even to her, at the moment.

At hearing Rin once again use the honorific with his name Sesshomaru snapped out of his reverie, and focused his gaze on her.

"Did I… what's _wrong?_" Rin was becoming more and more unsettled with each passing moment of silence, until finally, Sesshomaru spoke again.

"Does it bother you, that I am _inu?_" Sesshomaru did not know _why_ he chose _now_ to ask Rin something of this magnitude, especially now that it was _too late _to do anything if it _did_ bother her. She was _marked_, they were _mated_ and therefore bound together… still, what was this _need_ he had to hear her _say_ _again_ that she was not _disturbed_ or _ashamed_ to be _his?_

Sesshomaru himself would have killed the person who dared to utter the word _insecure_ in his direction…

Rin gave a small smile and stroked mokomoko for a moment, before bringing her hand up to trace the stripes adorning her demon-lovers face, watching as his eyes bored intently into hers. "No." She answered simply.

*Flashback*

Sesshomaru distanced himself from her. It was for the best. Now that Rin had not only seen him in his true form, but been through such a harrowing experience as _dying_ again, (not to mention having met his _mother – _a harrowing experience in and of itself), it could only be assumed that she would fear him.

He allowed _the boy_ to tend to her need for food and water, and watched as she settled in for the night – for the first time in a long time, not asking if she could sleep either near him or on his lap.

_It will be nice to be so unencumbered, once again. It was a most troublesome ritual that was in need of correcting anyway…_

He forced his eyes not gaze on her, forced his ears not to train on her heart rate and breathing and forced himself _not_ to focus on her scent. He willed himself into a meditative state, and waited patiently for morning to come, and with it, the girl's enevitable request to depart his company.

Being so distracted, and so entirely focused on blocking her out it was with some alarm that he felt a tiny hand on his thigh. Instinctively he reached out with his _one arm_ and his clawed hand wrapped around her tiny wrist, halting her movement.

Wide eyes with unshed tears gazed up at him, and a tiny pink lower lips trembled, being wetted by a small pink tongue several times, as he heard Rin take gulping breaths. Only then did he realize that his grip must be uncomfortable for her, and he briefly wondered why the girl had not protested such mistreatment.

"Sesshomaru-sama is angry with Rin." The girl stated, bowing her head. He saw and smelled tear drops fall to the ground, the scent of salt mixing with the soil in a most displeasing way. How was it that this girl was so easily able to read _everything_ about him, except his feelings when it came to _her?_ "Gomen Sesshomaru-sama… gomenasai… gomen, gomen gomen…" the girl began to stutter and repeat. "Please… please… please…"the chant became, after a few minutes of his non-reaction.

"Rin, for what do you ask?" He finally answered, bewildered and becoming slightly annoyed that she begged, but did not state what she was begging _for_. Humans begged him, so often, but usually it was for their lives. He owed no human anything, and so, was unaccustomed to hearing them _ask_ him for anything, save mercy – which was not a trait he counted among his virtues.

The girl completely broke down at that point, heaving shaking sobs wracking her small frame and mucus thickening her words, "Please, Se-se-se-se-shoooo-hooho-ma-ma-ruuuuuu-sahahahamahamahamaha."

His clawed and only hand came out to rest upon the girls head, before sliding down to brush over her cheek. Such was the 'comfort' he'd offered only several hours ago- and, at the time the gesture had been foreign, but instinctual. This time, it was not the 'natural' thing for him to do – and was only repeated, because of it's earlier success. He simply needed to stop this unbecoming display, and experience had proven this to be an effective method of staving off these… _tears_ which made him wholly uncomfortable, after all – what did _he_ know of silencing the tears of a human girl child? The only way he knew to end humans' begging was to simply rip their tongue from their mouth, effectively putting an end to such useless mutterings. That was _not_ an acceptable solution, in this situation. He could not ever harm this girl, though, why his hand refused to strike, or what it was that staved off the title wave of disgust for her, when all others of her kind elicited only revulsion, would remain a mystery to him.

"Rin. Calm yourself." He ordered his voice sure and strong, despite the fact that there was a strange _ache_ in the center of his chest that he could not identify with any word he knew, or compare to any feeling he had had before in his long life. It did not _seem_ like the pain of injury, but… she was… _hurting_ him. It _hurt_ to see her… _hurt._

_Why?_

Immediately the girl calmed, to the best of her ability, and sought to answer his previous question. She raised her eyes once more, dark and serious. The expression seemed so out of place on a child so young as her, but it seemed that what she was going to say was of the utmost importance to her – and the sincerity reflected in those depths unnerved him. Never had _anything_ been so completely… _heavy_ in her eyes. Even when she had been beaten black and blue – with the scent of adult human males all over her body – she had _smiled_. There was no smile now, no light or easy laughter in her face.

"Please," she took a deep ragged breath, "Do not hate, Rin."

_Do not hate Rin… Do not hate Rin… Do not… __**hate…**__ Rin???_

It was _he_ who had _failed_ _**her.**_

It was he who had taken her to a place that was dangerous, because in his arrogance, and his _distraction_ with _other thoughts_, he had been careless with her life – placing her within easy striking distance of his _mother_ – the gatekeeper to hell. It was _he_ who, despite his being the wielder of Tenseiga, had been unable to call her soul back from the depths of that dark place. Even when _every other soul_ had been purified by him… still… Rin laid cold and dead in his single armed embrace.

She had seen him _transform_, and… there was no denying the girl had been… _alarmed_. She had not realized the true nature or size of her guardian before that day, and – perhaps she had felt as if he may have deceived her, in some way. Tricked her into following him, by taking human form, only to discover he was a giant white beast, beneath the clever façade. True, the majority of the time he was in his humanoid form – but that was not what he truly was.

His ki was that of a great phantom dog, and the beast dwelled within. He was it and it was him and even in his human-like form the beast within lurked, constantly at the ready to reveal itself.

_The only time that beast within ever wagged its tail, was when Rin graced him with a smile. The only time it lowered its front end to ground and raised its haunches in a playful move… was when Rin played. The only time it whimpered was when the girl was in distress. The only time it curled up contentedly, with its tail covering its nose, was when the girl slumbered peacefully in his human lap. _

His inner beast, more than he would ever admit, was attached to the girl. If only she knew how she had _tamed_ him…

The thought was wholly ridiculous; a small human girl with a giant white demon guard dog, completely content to curl around her slumbering form, and willing to jump into battle to protect its young mistress.

Ready and willing to serve.

_HIM._

He was now the guard dog, and personal attack dog of a young _human _girl – who had been in existence for less than nine cycles of the seasons.

How utterly… _ironic_.

He _actually_ chuckled aloud at his ridiculous train of thought.

_Damn his youkai. Damn his youkai for choosing a human whelp as the one to serve and __**protect**_**.**

His father's rumbling laugh was echoing off the furthest caverns of hell, Sesshomaru was sure of it.

Rin looked up, startled at his uncharacteristic chuckle, "Sesshomaru-sama?"

Immediately, he was serious once again. His lapse of character was brief, but real.

"This Sesshomaru _does_ _not_, and _could not_ **hate**__Rin." He admitted quietly.

The girl brightened immediately, _so easy to please_, he marveled. He had _not_ said that he _loved_ her, or even more than tolerated her. The fact he did not despise her very existence was enough to fill her scent with contented happiness. _She asks nearly nothing of me._

"Rin, come." He removed his only hand from her cheek at long last, beckoning the girl to her usual sleeping place – on his lap, with his fur curled around her, and used to cushion her head.

The terrible great white beast inside him huffed, and curled around her in contentment.

The humanoid form merely rested his hand lightly on the side of her small dark head, occasionally running the backs of his knuckles over the skin of her smooth soft cheek.

Then, he stiffened.

The beast inside huffed again, a single sentiment, before falling into slumber.

_Mine._

Sesshomaru knew then that he was damned.

His youkai had chosen.

Rin was _his_.

He felt the corners of his lips tip upwards slightly… Yes. _His Rin._

~*~

*End Flashback*

Rin reached up and pulled him down for a kiss, her lips ghosting over his own. When she pulled back, she purred huskily, "On my hands and knees then?"

Sesshomaru felt himself harden instantly at her suggestion. The great beast inside licked it's chops; the humanoid form growled deeply. "In a moment. First…" He lowered himself, placing his head between her thighs and inhaling deeply. His long rough tongue coming out to lap at her sweet core. His own scent and taste still strongly present both on and _in_ her most secret place.

The predator inside awakened, and he attacked her opening and bud unrelentingly with his oral ministrations. When she found completion under the caress of his lips and tongue he growled darkly, once again proclaiming, "MINE." Before he backed away and allowed his all too willing female to present herself for their mutual satisfaction.

He pumped into her body, long languid strokes. His chest to her back and his hands coming from underneath, hooked around her shoulders pulling her back to him as he came forward.

Oh yes… he was going to enjoy being mated – thoroughly.


End file.
